Member Reviews
Blythe has everything she wants, a dream job within her grasp and a wonderful fiancé. Her grandmother, Nomi passes and Blythe discovers that her inheritance is to go on an usual quest. She travels to her destination with her grandmother’s urn and a map. When she reaches the little island, her adventure begins. A beautifully written story with an interesting plot and characters.
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Stayed up past my bedtime to finish this awesome ARC. Well worth the tired eyes!
I read Kerry Ann King's Other People's Things this summer and fangirled over the excellent handling of my favorite genre mix. Improbably Yours is just as charming, with romance, mystery, magic / ghosts, and a women's fiction emotional journey..
Now I'm looking forward to reading ALL of her books!
This book pulled me in quickly with relatable family dynamics. The story has layers of love, secrets, and tension while the reader becomes invested in the main characters. I loved the mystery surrounding this story!
Having recently found a renewed interest in the genre called "Magical Realism", I was very happy to have been given the chance to read and review this book. This book has a little bit of everything, romance, adventure, ghosts, family drama, coming together to weave an enchanting, wonderful story. This is the first book I have read by this author, but it won't be the last!
It was such a fun story, and a twist on treasure hunting. Usually that storyline is reserved for boys, I had the idea that what Blythe's found treasure would not be doubloons and jewels, but rather something far better, and I was right. I'm not going to spoil it..
I want this story to be made into a fantastic film. It has something for everyone and would translate to the big screen as well as it jumped off the page.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine, and freely given.
What a fun and unique story concept in which Blythe gets sent on a treasure hunt for her 30th birthday. The whole Vinland Island retreat sounds like a great vacation trip but I'm not sure if I would go for Team Pirate or Team Viking. I enjoyed the family mystery and watching the relationships that Blythe was constructing during her visit. Kerry Anne King wrote a heartwarming story about family and finding oneself. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
This was a fun adventure story that kept me engaged throughout. King is a masterful storyteller and this is no exception.
Another wonderful book by Kerry Anne King. This author never disappoints me. I know I can count on her books to life my spirit. To make me laugh out loud or cry hard tears. This one is no different. It's a kind of magical story. Told from two people's POV it will hold you hostage until the very beautiful ending.
Blythe turns thirty years old and her life is fixing to take a drastic change. She's going to give up all she knows for the unknown. When she was only six years old her grandmother, Nomi, and her drew a treasure map. Nomi was the best. She always made things fun for Blythe. Even had a snow globe that she called her crystal ball when they played adventure games. Little did Blythe know that at her thirtieth birthday party she would be given back that treasure map and told to go to the island to bury her grandmother's ashes under a tree. And then inherit a sum of money.
I really liked Blythe. She's was a very imaginative person as a child and her grandmother wanted that to continue for her. Blythe became a bit of a pushover until she was given the treasure map and told what all she was suppose to do. She left her almost fiancée, an almost new job, and her family to go to Vinland and hunt for the buried treasure and the spot where her Nomi wants to be buried. She will have a few things stand in her way though. From a child who recently lost her mother to a grumpy old man who does not want to give an inch. Possibly even a new love blooming. But Blythe is not going to be deterred. She has to do this for her Nomi. What she doesn't know is that Nomi had a motive for this adventure. A huge one. Also there are a couple of big secrets revealed about why Nomi wanted her to go here. Not all of it is what you think. Maybe.
The characters in this book are so likable. I almost didn't like Blythe's mother or sister but they did grow on me. The mother was only trying to keep her daughter from being hurt or live in a fantasy. Her sister just thought she knew what was best. Every one of these characters have good points and some maybe not so good but all have reasons for doing things that they did. I loved Flynn and Savannah. They were a work in progress that we root to make it.
I enjoyed this book so much. It had me wondering at times what exactly was going on. I did however figure out who a certain person was. It did not in any way take away from the story though. This is a wonderful story that leaves you feeling good. Feeling happy. You will laugh and cry. Turn pages to find out what the next clue might be. Reading letters made me cry a lot and that last chapter before the epilogue really had me crying hard tears. But it was a very heartfelt part of the story. One that will make you sad and happy. Lost years are so sad but found family is great.
Thank you #NetGalley, #KerryAnneKing, #LakeUnion for this ARC. This is my own through thoughts about this book.
5 huge stars and I can't wait for the next book by this author. I recommend it highly. Enjoy!
Wow this fast paced novel had me turning page after after quickly!!!!!! I loved this book as I have the authors others.
This beautiful story is such a delightful mix of love, adventure, family, a little bit of magic, and healing. I love puzzles and the idea of a treasure hunt drew me right in. The wonderful characters will keep you turning the pages and stay with you.
Blythe Harmon's journey hasn't been going very well, and on her 30th birthday, her life is about to change. Her grandmother, who died when she was six, is requesting that she takes her ashes to an island, and she has a treasure map and when she finds the treasure, that is where she wants to be buried.
Blythe takes off to Vinland Island, which doesn't go smoothly, but is determined to carry out her grandmother's wishes. When she reaches the island, she meets the people on the island, as the mysteries unfold, we learn about some secrets, which adds another element to the mysteries. The book will keep you reading as time is running out for Blythe to find the treasure and bury her grandmother.
I received an ARC from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley.
Kerry Anne King has a new book out titled “Improbably Yours”. You would think right off the bat this is a romance book. Well, it is and it isn’t. It is so much more than a romance. The book revolves around a treasure hunt. In fact the whole visit to this island is a treasure hunt. The island of Vinland has make itself into a destinaltion treasure hunt. You have to make reservations a year or two in advance. Background checks are done and you have to be approved to set foot on the Island. You just can’t show up.
On the island of Vinland there is Flynn and his niece Savannah and a whole host of characters. The inhabitants of this island make money off of the visitors who supply them with their livelihood. It is an interesting concept and sounds like a fun thing to do for vacation especially since you can choose to play as a Viking or a Pirate. I would love to do this for vacation. Do you want to go?
Blythe is the main character who is there with a request from her long ago deceased Grandmother, Nomi. Nomi has set up a treasure hunt of sorts for Blythe she has to complete to claim her inheritance. Blythe was on her way to a high powered career and marriage she really didn’t want and this gives her a way out and maybe a beginning to a new life. The house she rents on Vinland is the Improbable House. So, now you can see a little bit about where the name of the book comes from.
I really can’t tell you more about the book without giving away too much of it. I want you to have the surprise of the discoveries that Blythe makes along the way. Who she meets. The things she finds. It is all very enchanting. Kerry did a fantastic job of writing in all the fabulous things about Vinland and the Grandmother that Blythe has missed for years. I love the bond they had.
There is something very special about this book and I can’t put my finger on it. I could go on and on about all the little details in this book that probably have meaning behind them. There is a lot of hurt and healing involved. You MUST read this book! Until next time…Happy Reading.
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Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was really fun! I loved the setting, mystery, and treasure hunt to find answers so much. I loved the undercurrent of magical realism that was very subtle. I wanted to learn more about Improbable House and why it behaved the way it did. I actually wish there had been a bit more focus about the house and its (supposed) magical properties and the ghosts that allegedly reside there that we see glimpses of through the story. The Vinland Island experience was fun, too, and I would love to go on such a vacation if a place like that were to really exist. Savannah was one of my favorite characters, and she lent so much color to the cast especially since Blythe was overall a bit one-dimensional.
I do have two main areas where the story lost me a bit, hence my 4-start review:
1. Blythe's grandmother passed away when she was 6 years old. I understand that they had an extremely close relationship, but I found it hard to believe that at the age of 30, she was still so hung up on her grief over losing her grandmother, primarily due to her young age at the time of her passing as well as the time that had elapsed in between. I know everyone grieves differently, and there is a part of the story where you learn that Blythe has long-held guilt because she believed she was somehow responsible for her grandmother's passing, but it just felt kind of odd to me. If Blythe had been, perhaps, in her teenage years, 15/16, when her grandmother passed, I think that would have been much more realistic. The second part to this is that Blythe remembers very detailed conversations and interactions from her time with her grandmother. Maybe my memory is not that good, but I honestly don't remember any specific conversations from that age in my own life, more like hazy flashes of memory and emotion.
2. Insta-love. Not much needs to be said about this one. Blythe's time on the island spans the course of 1 week and the romance was just- BOOM. And honestly, a bit cringe at times, especially when we are given glimpses into each character's thoughts and they're obsessing over how the other person looks in a particular moment... The epilogue also ties up the "loose ends" a little too neatly in this regard, which made everything feel just a bit unrealistic.
Overall, this was very fun and enjoyable. I would recommend to anyone looking for a fun mystery with a sprinkle of paranormal thrown in.
Improbably Yours is due to be published TOMORROW, October 18 2022!
I loved Improbably Yours. I expected this to be a bit of a slushy romance, judging by the blurb so I was bracing myself not to enjoy it too much. This is not the book I was expecting at all. That’s a good thing. There is some romance on offer but it’s not OOT or too cheesy so I could stomach it. The core of the book is Blythe’s relationship with her beloved grandmother and her quest to bury her ashes on an island, an island Blythe drew a map of when she was a child, a place she never imagined was real. I loved the island and how Blythe starts to fall in love with it and the people she meets. This is a real heart-warmer but had a few sad moments. I loved it.
When Blythe Harmon turned thirty, she appeared to have it all - a career on the rise and a solid future with her boyfriend. But at her birthday party, she learns that she is set to inherit a great sum of money if she complies with the wishes of her late grandmother, Nomi. Leaving everything behind for an undetermined time period, Blythe heads out on a journey to the San Juan Islands with Nomi's ashes and a treasure map which she and her grandmother created when she was a little girl. One of the islanders and his niece soon try to help Blythe find the hidden treasure and the location where she is supposed to bury Nomi's ashes. As the clues of the search start coming together, Blythe starts to discover more about herself as she gets closer to solving her grandmother's puzzle.
Author Kerry Anne King has such a talent for developing complex, interesting characters. Improbably Yours is a wonderfully charming and original book that pulled me in from the very beginning and never let me go. It is a story of love, self-discovery, and family secrets. With a sprinkling of magic. I simply adored it.
Kerry Anne King is so good at what she does. Her last four books have blown me away. Improbably Yours is the newest.
About the book: “An unusual inheritance leads to a life-changing journey in a novel of romance, secrets, and the treasure of found family.”
Blythe is about to start a new job and has been proposed to. At the same time, her late grandmother, Nomi, has offered her an adventure and a treasure map. Fun and intriguing, right?
Blythe sets off to the tiny island of Vinland and rents the “Improbable House.” She meets Flynn and his niece, Savannah. All three come together to solve the mystery and perhaps they will find healing, too.
I love an adventure, and Improbably Yours captures that fun feeling. The story surprised me, and I loved the quirky and imperfect characters. There’s also an exploration of grief and guilt. One simply has to read this book to meet Norman! Another winner of a book by Kerry Anne King!
I received a gifted copy.
Loved it, loved it, loved it! This is the first book I’ve read of Kerry Anne King’s but it most definitely won’t be the last. Excellent read, brilliant storyline and a wonderful cast of characters! Highly recommended.
Get Lost In The Wonder. This is another Kerry Anne King book where she manages to take a delightfully flawed protagonist and spin a tale of wonder (and wander) around her. Set in the apparently lovely (if all the house buying shows I've watched on Discovery+ are to be believed, I've never been within 1,000 miles of the location) San Juan Islands of Washington State, this book shows off a small island town bound to its tourism cycle remarkably well. Along the way we get a touch of a pair of romances, some mysterious-yet-light happenings, a pair of tragedies, and a treasure hunt to end all treasure hunts. Truly a great tale of adventure and finding yourself in unexpected places. Very much recommended.
My thanks goes out to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Wow! I fell in love with this book!
Genre: Romance, Mystery
Heat level: one chili pepper (closed door)
The island, the mystery, the Viking-like man, the distraught girl. This book hit me in all the feels! Including angst over family, loss and grieving, and love.
Our main character, Blythe, is misunderstood by those who love her and she's never really found herself. When she's given this strange opportunity to leave her old life behind, she pretty much jumps on board. Going off to the island is the beginning of a new type of life. But she only has a short amount of time to fulfill her grandma's wishes—and the distractions are so, well, distracting. Blythe quickly comes to feel for the tween who lost her mom and seems to have a connection with her. But what about the rumors surrounding the Improbable House where she's staying? And that Viking-like man, oh man...he keeps sending mixed signals.
Blythe almost has all the mysteries figured out, but then there's another.
I fully admit, I had guessed the twist but that didn't take away from me loving this book. It was so much fun to read and figure out as I read along.
I hope you pick it up and read it too!
I highly recommend Improbably Yours as one of my favorites of the year.
The story
Blythe’s beloved grandmother Nomi died when she was 6, but she had a vision of an event when Blythe turns 30 before she died. With her life mapped out for her, a life she isn’t keen on anyway, Blythe takes up the challenge set by her grandmother all those years ago. Adventure and treasure hunting awaits.
My thoughts
I could visualise this story set in a misty island setting with a slightly mystical and otherworldly filter tinting the lens. It’s a beautiful story of looking back at traumatic events after the fact and making sense of them with fresh perspective. The insta-attraction between Blythe, landlord Flynn and his niece Savannah added beautiful layers to the story. The supporting cast of dogs, talking ravens and the spectre of loved ones are crucial elements in the mystical charm. Beautifully written ❤️
Bythe last her grandmother when she was 6, and before her death she predicted on Blythe's 30th birthday she would be on a treasure hunt on a small island. She never took the little game she payed with her grandmother seriously. In the present she is a little lost in life feeling like she isn't being true to herself and on her 30th birthday she gets a surprise visit from her late grandmothers lawyer. Turns out she is being sent on an adventure to the island to spread her ashes. Many surprises await her on this island, where she may discover secrets and the person she was always meant to be.
There was so much I liked about this one, a scavenger hunt, an island, complicated familial relationships, a loveable dog, and a cozy mystery. The things that didn't work for me was the romance , it felt like an afterthought and not full fleshed out, and some of the characters motivations were not very clear or believable. This novel would benefit from being a bit longer.