The Sweet Life is a very well written inspirational romance. A great plot with good character dynamics and a beautiful setting. I recommend this book. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

This is such a delightful story about a mom and daughter. If you're looking for romance, this book has almost none. It is, however, a really great women's fiction. Dawn is absolutely wrecked when Kevin breaks up with her not long before their wedding. Kevin insists she take their honeymoon without him and she invites her mother to come along. The only problem is that Dawn and her mom, Marnie, could not be more different. On a whim, Marnie purchases, a rundown ice cream shop and somehow convinces Dawn to stay and help her get it running. What follows is a beautiful story of change, forgiveness, hope, and finding yourself amidst trial.

I really loved how Dawn finds joy in ice cream making and learns to be a little less tightly wound than she was before. Marnie made me a bit crazy with her "act now, think later" attitude but I really did grow to love how much she adores people and can love them instantly. I could use a big triple scoop waffle cone after reading this book!

Thank you, NetGalley and Just Read Tours, for my advanced copy of this book. All opinions here are my own.

I really enjoy Suzanne Woods Fisher’s style of writing – whether it’s contemporary fiction or Amish. The way she writes her characters is so engaging. I feel as though I’m part of the community and love that sense of belonging. What a great storyline and great characters for this book. Mother-daughter relationships: the author wrote this one so well. I think we all can relate to being so opposite in personality. The dynamics between Kevin, Dawn and Marnie are so relatable as well. Definitely a favorite book and when you include ice cream throughout the pages, well, you really can’t go wrong. A great summer read for sure!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was under no obligation to review it. All opinions are mine.

The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a story with a unique twist and perspective. I cannot think of another book with a similar storyline with both a mother and daughter at such a pivotal time in life or with a focus on the development of ice cream. The Sweet Life is definitely a unique book and has a sweet whimsicalness about it that draws the reader in. The setting of The Sweet Life in the beautiful coastal town of Cape Cod adds beauty and peace to the storyline with a sense of refreshment, starting over, and hope.
Dawn Dixon is in a very unusual predicament as she vacations in Cape Cod with her mother, not her groom on what was supposed to be her honeymoon. Dawn works with numbers as a financial accountant and thrives on logic, planning, and a straightforward approach to life. When Dawn's engagement ends unexpectedly and suddenly, she is completely unsettled and at a loss for what to do next. As Dawn sorts through her grief and anger, her mother Marnie Dixon decides to completely uproot her life and do something utterly unexpected: buy a run-down, fire scorched ice cream shop in the town's highly scrutinized historic district. Dawn thinks that her mom is looking for something to distract her from her recent brush with cancer and is frustrated with what she sees as Marnie's rash decision. Dawn and Marnie have vastly different perspectives in life, yet they work together in their own ways to clean up this mess and create a community ice cream shop. When Kevin, Dawn's ex-fiancée comes back into their lives to help Dawn and Marnie with their business venture, can Dawn and Kevin move on from their past and form a truce? Will they be able to help Marnie with her dream for the ice cream shop? Will Dawn recognize her need to open up her heart to faith in God? Can Dawn reconnect with her mother and forgive her ex-fiancée? Will Dawn and Marnie's dreams of making a successful ice cream shop be realized? Read The Sweet Life to find out for yourself.
Although I did enjoy this book overall, I did struggle to keep my interest in this book in the first half of the book. The storyline and characters seemed to take a while to develop in the first portion of the book and I ended up putting the book down several times and then coming back to it. There were times throughout the book where the dialogue just felt stilted and awkward. I haven't read any of Ms. Fischer's writings before, so I may not be the best judge. If the reader continues reading through to the end, I think that this sweet story of forgiveness, faith, and hope will be rewarding and encouraging. I appreciated the growth of the characters throughout the book as they learned to overcome their assumptions and past hurts as well as develop faith in God and trust in one another. I enjoyed the reconciliation that Dawn experienced with her mother as well as with her former fiancée. Overall, this book was good, although some aspects of it were stilted and slow-moving. I appreciated the characters and the situations that each character had to deal with in order to grow. Happy readings!
Disclaimer: Revell graciously provided me with a copy of this book through Net Galley. All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.

Whether it is her Amish or contemporary stories, Suzanne Woods Fisher has become an author that I really enjoy reading. When I saw her newest contemporary novel was about ice cream, well, I couldn't wait to check it out! There is something very nostalgic about ice cream, and so I thought this idea was intriguing.

When I started reading though, I must admit that I wasn't drawn in quite as quickly as I'd hoped. This could be in part because of my state of mind when I began reading, but I do think it was just that I didn't initially care for Dawn's character. While I did start to come around to her a little more towards the end, I can't say that she was my favorite. That definitely kept me from feeling as invested earlier on, but I liked the idea of the story so I read on and did eventually find myself enjoying the story. There were parts that I would have perhaps liked so haven seen more of, and I found myself wishing it hadn't ended quite as early as it had, but overall I found it to be really enjoyable...If you enjoy small town fiction, grab a scoop of ice cream and check this one out.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Could not really get into this book. I did not find it interesting or enjoyable and could not get passed chapter 2

Delicious book!

I always enjoy books by Suzanne Woods Fisher and this one is no exception. It has Ms Fisher's usual great characters and plot; our heroines are a widowed mom and her daughter whose wedding was cancelled by her fiancé who are very different personalities, an impulsive doer and a somewhat stodgy planner. Add to this the vicariously delicious subject of ice cream! My mouth kept watering... Yes, there is some discussion of faith in the novel, but it is not overwhelming. I also enjoyed some references to Ms Fisher's previous Three Sisters Island series. All in all, a lovely summer read, highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

A Sweet Story

Dawn Dixon is a planner. Her favorite quote is, "I adore spontaneity, providing it is carefully planned." She thought she knew what lay ahead in her well planned life. However, it all fell apart when her fiancé, Kevin Collins, called off their engagement. Now she's heading to her would be honeymoon spot in Cape Cod with her mother, Marnie, instead of Kevin.

Dawn and Marnie are like night and day. While Dawn is a planner, Marnie is a spontaneous risk taker. Unfortunately she doesn't look ahead to the big picture of her risk taking and spontaneous decisions. Consequently, she often ends up overwhelmed with her spontaneous decisions, the latest one being to open an ice cream shop in Cape Cod.

The Sweet Life is a very sweet (pun intended) story. It is a story of self-reflection, healing, love, and faith. Some of the healing and self-reflection occurred between Dawn and Marnie, and some occurred between Dawn and Kevin. In each relationship, both parties went through a lot of self-reflection that resulted in a new understanding of themselves as well as a new understanding of the other person. Watching Dawn, Marnie and Kevin going through this process had me reflecting as well. It brought to mind that while we see things from our perspective and point of view, we need to also see it from the other person's perspective. Doing so will help us gain a better understanding of ourselves and them, which can bring our relationships to another level. Such was the case with Dawn, Marnie and Kevin, and watching them go through this process is what made this a wonderful and sweet story that I highly recommend.

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

Lovely story….. it tells a beautiful journey of two people who care a lot for each other & learning how to get along, how to honor each other's strengths, and how to face the hard truths they've each been trying their best to avoid. There's also a religious element to the book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is such a sweet little romance. The family ties in this, with mother and daughter, we’re such a neat exploration. And the way the ladies interact with one another was so well done. A lot like my mother and I. 🫣 I loved the romance plots and the way the mother always blamed her interest on her hot flashes. Then a rekindled love with Dawn was so sweet, and how Kevin came to see her in a different light. Spiritually this was such an uplifting story as well, exploring different types of grief from loss or health issues. It was an interesting read, thought provoking but still light.

Dawn's life falls to pieces when her fiancé calls off the wedding and she discovers that Marnie, her mum, has just had cancer surgery. When Kevin suggests she takes the already-paid-for honeymoon in Cape Cod, she decides to do so and asks Marnie to go with her. But when Marnie falls in love with an ex-ice cream shop and decides to buy it, return it to its former glory and run an ice cream shop herself, Dawn is convinced that this is yet another mess-in-the-making of her impulsive mother that she'll have to clean up for her. However, making ice cream again seems to awaken a side of her that had been dormant, and Dawn begins to wonder what she really has in the city to go back to anyway. Whatever they say, there IS more to life than ice cream - but did her old life hold what really matters? If not, what does - and can she find it?

It feels silly to say that it is a sweet story - but it's true anyway! It's also delightful, inspiring and touching. I'm not really either a Dawn or a Marnie, and I think that living with either would probably drive me up the wall, but I loved watching them each come into their own and get their acts together as they settled into their new lives in the ice cream shop, particularly Dawn. It was also interesting watching Kevin's interactions with Dawn and highly satisfying to see them begin to develop a relationship based on the things that really matter in life rather than the hollow mockery of life it started off as. Look, it's probably somewhat predictable, but definitely in a good way, and overall a highly satisfying and memorable story. Highly recommended.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

What a talented writer Suzanne Woods Fisher is, no matter what genre she chooses. Long known for her Amish books, she is proving just as adept at other novels & is truly an all-round great story-teller.
The dramatic opening takes us straight in, & although to list the events any one of them would seem sufficient material for a story, yet their conjunction is made quite plausible.
It is easy to care for even the peripheral characters; I am certainly looking forward to the rest of the series & to finding out more about them.
As with all of this writer’s books, there is much to be learned – quotable quotes to make note of, life lessons to ponder – yet nothing is imparted in a ‘heavy’ way. The ice-cream-related sayings at the beginning of each chapter are most enjoyable, & the questions at the end of the book are well-thought out.
This is a book to recommend to others, although I’m afraid it was rather like its ice-cream theme : you want to make it last, but...maybe just one more lick...& one more....& before you know it, it is gone! ‘The Sweet Life’ has certainly lived up to its promise. 4 1/2 stars

The Sweet Life is a real sweet read for this summer! Dawn Dixon and her mom Marnie are both grieving the loss of Marnie's husband and then Dawn's fiancé Kevin decides they shouldn't get married. When Marnie buys a run down ice cream shop Dawn radically decides to stay with her to help and it's fun to watch the old building be restored and see how both ladies change and learn to support each other at the same time.

Lincoln was such a great friend to Marnie and little cowboy Leo was a hit of this book! My grandsons are about his age so I totally adored this little guy!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publishes 3 May 2022.

Dawn Dixon had her ideal life all planned out, marry her childhood sweetheart, Kevin, become a partner in an accounting firm, and live in Boston. It all comes crashing down around her when her fiancé breaks their engagement and Dawn goes on the honeymoon with her mom!

There were so many wonderful characters in this story of second chances. Marnie, Dawn’s mother, was amazing as she decided to chase a dream that she and her late husband had of owning an ice cream shop. Her attitude of living life to its fullest and leaving cancer behind her made Marnie a hero in my eyes. While she was a visionary, she needed Dawn to help her carry it out and oversee operations of the shop, not to mention relying on Dawn’s wonderful ice cream making skills.

The relationship that Dawn and Marnie had was so well written. We see that they both need each other to make this shop become a reality. They are the perfect combination of what it will take to make this dream come true. Dawn is practical and focused, while Marnie is creative, a risk taker, but details overwhelm her.

Ms. Fisher uses the story in a lighthearted way to bring up some difficult issues about loss, hardship, fear, and reconciliation. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend this book and look forward to reading about Marnie, Dawn, and other characters in the town. There are great discussion questions in the back of the book and the ice cream quotes that begin each chapter can be used for a bookclub!

Thank you to Revell and NetGalley for a copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Poor Dawn has had her heart broken when her fiance calls off their wedding. She can't understand it, they had been together forever and she had it all planned, down to the last detail. She visits her mother, Marnie, to tell her her news, only to discover Marnie has news of her own. And it isn't good either.

So, Marnie (who is a free spirit) and Dawn (the planner) find themselves in Cape Cod together, on a groomless honeymoon, as you do! These two women are very, very different, as lots of us are from our mothers or our daughters. Somehow, they have to work together for a common goal though.

There is romance in this story, of course. However, the main focus of the story is definitely the relationship between mother and daughter, and discovering what is actually important in life. I loved reading about how both of them changed, in the course of working together and it really made my heart sing. This is not some sort of saccharine sweet tale where everything just runs smooth and there is no hardship. There are also some very unlikeable characters in the mix! The descriptions about ice cream making were fascinating, I had no clue it was so complicated. It made me want to go and get a decent pint of something yummy!

All in all, I really enjoyed the book. Faith and love prevail :)

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell.

Name of Book: The Sweet Life
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell
Genre: Contemporary/Inspirational
Pub Date: May 3, 2022
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars!

Awww what’s not to love about this??
Love the Author!
Love the Cover!
Love Ice Cream!
Love the Story! ~ true it starts out not so happy!

Dawn Dixon and Kevin Collins have known each other since middle school and there was never any doubt that they would get married. At age twenty-seven wedding plans are in full swing when Kevin, the love of her life tells Dawn he has doubts.
Now Dawn is on beautiful Cape Cod with her mother Marnie and not Kevin.
Marnie recently had breast cancer surgery which she hid as she didn’t want to disrupt the wedding plans ~ now doesn’t want her daughter to suffer from heart ache, so decided to buy a run-down ice cream shop ~ as we all know everything is better with ice cream.

On another note: Never ask a woman eating ice cream out of a carton, how she is dong!

I am a big psychological thriller fan and sometimes a story like this is JUST what I need.
Sometimes it is such fun to do something new!
Yes! This is such a delightful read! It is the story of difficult relationships and making them work.
Hope you enjoy it plus I am sure you too will want some ice cream before you finish this quick read!
This is Book #1 in the Cape Cod Creamery series! I am looking forward to Book #2!

To me the ‘Cherry on top’ (sorry couldn’t resist saying that!) of a great read are the Author’s Acknowledgements ~ and/or Author’s Notes; typically an enjoyable/ insight to the motivation for the story. In this case there is also a great “Questions for Discussion” ~ not only helpful in a book club discussion but also just makes you think a little more about the story.


Want to thank NetGalley and Revell for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 3, 2022.

Dawn Dixon and her mother, Marnie Dixon, couldn't be more disparate. Dawn is an obsessive, goal-oriented planner, whereas Marnie is a go-with-the-flow, Que será será type, and therein lays the dilemma. However, they both discover through tough situations that neither has a right or wrong style—just their own style.

The Sweet Life is primarily about Marnie and Dawn as they learn to navigate their new life and being with each other on a full-time basis. Because the components of faith are vital and integral to the plot, I applaud Fisher's ability to integrate faith and religious beliefs gently and consistently into the novel without browbeating or badgering.

I was captivated by the people of Chatham and how they contributed to the larger picture. Some I adored, while others I found difficult to like. They were all, however, well-developed, and they kept the tale moving forward.

Of course, I can't fail to mention their ice cream's incredible evolution. I had no idea how much time and effort could go into making or breaking an ice cream flavor. The quotations at the beginning of each chapter, as well as the definitions at the beginning of the book, helped tremendously in the overall understanding and pleasure of the novel.

Suzanne Woods Fisher’s story of the halcyon city of Chatham, a seaside village on Cape Cod, make you want to pack your bags and move there.

I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

This a read that feels like a warm hug, and in the end I wanted more! Now I'll be looking forward to the second book in this series!

The book starts with a young woman, Dawn, going on her honeymoon with her mom, Marnie, and we are there to experience how they start a new chapter in their lives.

The setting is a small old town on Cape Cod, and then a run down building that was, or can be, an ice cream shop. I could just hear Dawn thinking, "what has Mom gotten in to?", and you will be thinking the same. This read is filled with love, kindness, and a bit of humor, and a classic old New England preservationist!

Be careful, you'll soon be creating ice cream flavors in your mind, but stay and page turn your way to the end for answers!

I received this book through the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.

The main characters are an active mother, Marnie, and her daughter, Dawn.
"Dawn was deliberate, prepared for everything. Her favorite word: plan"
Her wedding trip is in Chathaam, Massachusetts, an historical village along the ocean. It tourns out what an adventure!
Sometimes life and news could change plans, thoughts, believers, people.
"The drab old building looked run-down, tired. Its better days were behind it" Like Marnie's life.
Marnie is the opposite of her daughter: she hears her instinct, loves trying new experiences, asks help if in need.
I think a mix of the two personalities could help in life, but sure! it's difficult always be 'elastic' and adapt to the up and down of the life.

The Sweet Life is a story that will engage readers right away. Dawn Dixon's life is turned upside down when her groom backs out of their wedding two months out. Then she finds out her mother had breast cancer surgery and treatment without letting her know. Marnie didn't want her cancer to interfere with Dawn's wedding. The groom, Kevin insists Dawn use the honeymoon reservation on Cape Cod, so she invites her mom. It is quite a trip as the two are so different. Dawn, an accountant and planner bumps heads with her mom, a spur of the moment, act on emotions, not planning person. (Most of us can relate to mother daughter spats and eye rolls.) The trip turns into a longer than planned event when Marnie buys a rundown but historical ice cream shop, a dream that Dawn and her dad, deceased a year ago, shared. The two women, along with a local, Lincoln, work together to make the shop a reality but the Historical Commission chairperson keeps throwing out roadblocks. Kevin cannot stay away as he feels guilty and is worried about Dawn and Marnie. Filled with funny and interesting characters in a small coastal town, this is an uplifting and inspirational story of what is important in life, even if it involves stepping out in faith and taking a risk. I loved how Marnie and Dawn came together in love, faith, and respect. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC from Revell Publishing and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.