Another 5 star read
Another great read from Kerry Lonsdale, finished in one day. Get comfortable and be prepared to finish in one sitting. Complex characters that bring sadness, compassion, love, forgiveness and family. Main characters Julia and Matt meet by chance and take you on a wild ride that reminded us that the truth will set you free, no matter how painful that may be .

I enjoyed this, but I don't think I'm the target demo.

I really struggle with multiple POVs and we had a lot of that here. It didnt take away from the story, but it also was hard for me to follow.

I love this author, but this book just wasn’t for me. The writing style is different than her previous books.
It follows several broken characters, none were very likable. I found myself getting confused during the first 30% or so because the storyline was hard to follow. The weird scenes during Matt and Magnolia’s weekend felt so out of place, it was more distracting and did not enhance the story. A lot of repetitiveness. I did appreciate how the author described each characters journey to finding peace.
I will continue to read books by this author though!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is a heartfelt tale of love and family set against the backdrop of sunny California. It follows Julia and Matt as their paths unexpectedly cross, leading to the uncovering of old secrets and the exploration of deep emotions.

The author's writing vividly brings the California landscape to life and I love how relatable characters and engaging storylines keep you hooked until the very end. Will recommend this to my friends...

I don’t know where to start to describe the genre of this book since it is steeped in romance, mystery and a little fantasy along the way, too. Matt Gatlin and Julia Hope are two sympathetic and relatable protagonists, both facing a difficult future after traumatic childhoods. Both were cast off by parents and raised by a grandmother. Julia’s grandmother, Mama Rose, was nurturing and kind, but there are secrets that Julia is discovering now that Mama Rose is dying and it would have been better for Julia if Mama Rose had been totally honest. Matt was raised by his grandmother, too, a Hollywood legend named Liza who was distant and cold to him, even leaving the room when he was present. His childhood was marked by rejection, first by his mother and then by his grandmother, so it is no wonder that he has a few problems with the present situation in which his grandmother is dying and requesting to see him. The way these two come together, via a nursing home where both grandmothers reside, is an original take on a meet-cute situation. Matt’s trip to get to his grandmother’s bedside is fraught with his own personality as he uses drugs along the way, hallucinates a relationship (maybe…not sure about what this really was but it was interesting) and finally arrives at the nursing home to actually meet Julia in person. The two have so much in common that it seems inevitable that they must become a couple, but that cannot happen until both of them deal with their pasts. I enjoyed the intricacies of this story, all of the background information about Liza, Mama Rose, Matt and Julia that were woven into the main story of a loss that was certain to come soon. This is a multi-layered, well-crafted story of relationships, secrets, forgiveness and finding hope in the most unlikely places. It is also a story of acceptance and love even in the middle of a messy life. The characters are deeply touching, unique and realistically flawed representatives of life. The complications in the plot are thought-provoking and I encourage readers to go through the discussion questions at the end of the book because they are a great way to reflect on the truths encountered within its pages. Insightful, captivating and magical, this book is a brilliant look at overcoming one’s past and facing a new future.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Another excellent Kerry Lonsdale that is very thought provoking and easily pulls the reader in. Very enjoyable.

I’m a big Kerry Lonsdale fan. For me, she’s one of my “must-read” authors, who always delivers an enjoyable mix of mystery, romance, and suspense.

“Find me in California” brings together two women in a California care facility and their relatives, delving into important themes around love, loss, addiction, with a backstory of Hollywood royalty and the question of how long, and how far will you go to hold a grudge?

The current timeline story brings together Julia Hope, who adores her grandmother Rub Rose Hope who created and then let go of a successful landscaping business. Matt Gaitlin is a photographer who holds a grudge against his Hollywood king-maker of a grandmother, Elizabeth Holloway, who adopted him after his parents’ death, but never loved him. He doesn't want to waste his time traveling to California to assist wither her running out of money to pay for her care.

As Julia and Matt interact, both trying to meet their own goals, we discover the mystery behind their grandmothers’ stories – which delves into old time Hollywood and reveals many secrets. Secrets the two grandmothers have kept not only from Julia and Matt— but from each other.

An original, refreshing romance, bound up with a mystery, that kept me engaged right through the twists toward the end. A fast-paced, romantic read with a truly original plot. Highly recommend!

Don’t Live Your Life with Regrets. That’s the message of this book told by Kerry Lonsdale. I am a huge fan of Kerry and so excited to get this early advance copy of her newest book “Find Me in California “. With that being said, I had a hard time following the story and just found myself “lost” several times. For that reason, only 3 stars from me. Looking forward to her next book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "Find Me in California" and all opinions expressed are my own. I really enjoy Kerry Lonsdale's books. This was a quick read that told a wonderful story. It is packed with family, friends, loss and grief and regrets. I loved all the characters, yes even Elizabeth. Very heartwarming and makes you think about your own life and maybe taking chances so you won't have those regrets. Sometimes they do work out.

This was a lovely story of Julie and Matt and the way their lives become intertwined because of the grandmother's who raised them. This story was told in different pov's and in different time periods. I really enjoyed the story and only felt like one small part in the middle was a bit confusing and didn't read as smoothly as the rest of the story. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Julia and Matt are almost complete opposites at first glance, yet at least one thing connects them -- dealing with the challenges and realities they encounter with their grandmothers living in the Rosemont Assisted Living care facility. Although the facility itself is terrific and both grandmothers as well as Matt and Julia want them to continue, reasons beyond their control are forcing them to consider leaving. Amidst the chaos this causes, Matt and Julia both -- separately and together -- become aware of themselves and their families in a new light. A heartwrenching yet heartwarming story of love, family, and friendship -- strongly recommended.

This 5-star read hit me in all my feels. I experienced a similar situation with my own grandmother living in a memory care unit, but even without the personal connection, I think I still would've cried at the same point in the book. Parts of this book were a literal trip, and I personally enjoyed the realism in that. From laughs to tears, the writing was perfectly nuanced to invoke all the right emotions. The story line was entertaining and I was engaged throughout the read. I will be recommending this one for sure! Just enough romance for those who like a good sprinkle of spice too.

Kerry Lonsdale's novel is truly remarkable! It delves deep into themes of love, loss, and the complexities of family ties, painting a vivid picture of human emotions and relationships. The characters are so well-developed that you feel like you're right there with them, experiencing every twist and turn of their journey. The way the storylines intersect keeps you engrossed throughout, with each new revelation adding layers of depth to the narrative. It's a story of redemption and forgiveness, showing the transformative power of connection and understanding. If you love captivating storytelling, this book is an absolute must-read!

ARC REVIEW- 4 Stars.
Publishing Date June 11,2024

“Don’t live you life with regrets, Just live as fully as you can. Take it from one who knows: you can reshoot a scene multiple times, but you cannot do over your life”

Brief Summary-
This story is about two grandmothers who were once best friends that end up in the same nursery home. Their two grandchildren both start to discover how their lives are all intricately connected. You follow Julie and Matt as they peel back layers of secrets through an old diary written by Julia’s Grandmother.

What To Expect-
🌊Dual Timelines
🌊Dual POV
🌊Magic Realism
🌊Family Secrets/Drama

Content Warnings-
🌊Caring for a loved one with Alzheimers
🌊Alcoholism
🌊Drugs

My Thoughts-
What a beautiful story of love, loss, family, betrayal, mystery and romance. There is four storyline that intertwine perfectly. The writing was beautiful. The premise was interesting and certainly different. I fell in love with each complex character and I was so invested in their story being told. This was a journey of healing, forgiveness, trauma and finding family where you least expect it. I certainly cried a little bit. I loved reading the diary entries from Julia’s grandmother, it was touching and eye opening. This is an emotional read but it’s worth the trip.

If you're looking for a captivating read with chance meetings, buried secrets, and plenty of twists and turns, "Find Me in California" is definitely worth adding to your TBR pile

“Life isn’t worth living if we don’t allow ourselves to love”

Playlist-
Tequila Sunrise- The Eagles
Aint No Sunshine- Bill Withers
Take It Easy- The Eagles
Piano Man- Billy Joel
My Girl- The Temptations
Have You Every Seen The Rain- Creedence Clearwater Revel
Peaceful Easy Feeling-The Eagles
Dancing In The Moonlight- King Harvest
Black Magic Women- Santana
Hotel California- The Eagles
Corazon- Santana
Dreams- Fleetwood Mac

✨Thanks to NetGalley, Kelly Lonsdale, and Lake Union Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨

I read this book once but didn't go write my review, so I decided to do a re-read and write the review. I am glad that I did because I think the book is even better the 2nd time through. This book is about love and loss, family, friendship, and forgiveness, grief and gratitude. There are several stories within this book but it doesn't seem overwhelming or too much. I really fell in love with these characters. Julia is full of so much goodness and Matt while broken is still lovable.

Matt and Julia are forced to interact after Matt receives boxes from his estranged grandmother. Julia, a volunteer at the care facility when Matt's grandmother resides sent Matt the packages. Elizabeth Holloway, Matt's grandmother, is going to be evicted in 5 days and the director has been trying to reach him. This leads Matt to call and "meet" Julia. From here we learn Julia's grandmother is also at Rosemont and that perhaps Matt's grandmother and Julia's grandmother have a past.

This book takes us through Matt's journey to California, the story of Magnolia and Liza, and Julia's own sorted past This book is beautifully written and let you feel Matt's sense of abandonment and Julia's feeling of loss dealing with Mama Rose's Alzheimer's disease. Matt and Julia form an unlikely bond and help each other heal. We learn about secrets and hurts and learning that sometimes forgiveness is what will heal us.

I highly recommend this book to all!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Find Me in California by Kerry Lonsdale

I have not read any of Lonsdale's books before, but after reading this book I most definitely understand the hype surrounding this author. This was a beautiful story packed full of important topics which the author expertly explores.

I loved how the author explored family relations throughout the book. Matt and his Grandmother (Elizabeth) have a tough relationship, stemming from the fact Elizabeth blamed Matt for his mother's death and subsequently neglected Matt as a child, which then haunts him throughout adulthood. This childhood trauma causes Matt to spiral, where he drinks and takes drugs as a form of escapism. I must say I wasn't a fan of the fact Matt was driving whilst under the influence of marijuana, but the author did a good job of showing this as a result of Matt's mental breakdown and not glorifying this behaviour. The author also uses these two character's relationship as a way to explore forgiveness, regret and many other complex emotions. I loved Matt as a character, but felt deeply sorry for him. Elizabeth was a very unlikeable character, but she added a great deal to the story and was a very well-formed, complex character.

The relationship between Julia and her Grandmother (Ruby) is more stable. Yet, Ruby has Dementia so cannot remember Julia, and the author explores this tricky subject in a compassionate and heart-wrenching way. Julia undoubtedly loves her grandmother, as she raised her after Julia's mum abandoned them. However, it was so sad to see Ruby's memories slowly fading away, and the speech Julia makes about what happens to memories after we are gone was incredibly emotional and hard-hitting. The author explores, through Julia, the importance of self-worth and how Julia has attachment/abandonment issues due to the actions of her mother.

I also really enjoyed the plot. The secret diary entries were a brilliant addition to the story and I loved seeing into the past through Magnolia's eyes. At first I was very confused about the meeting of Matt and Magnolia, but when it became clear what the author's intentions behind this were I found this supernatural element an interesting addition. I thought the ending was overall satisfactory and showed us some real character development in both Matt and Julia.

Overall I found this an immensely enjoyable read, even if it was heart-wrenching and emotional to read at times. I enjoyed Kerry Lonsdale's lyrical writing style and the way she addressed such hard-hitting topics in such a sensitive and realistic way. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars and would highly recommend you pick this book up! Thank you to Netgalley and Kerry Lonsdale for the ARC

I was looking forward to reading this book and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

The tangled website of deceit and conditional love that some children grow up in, there isn't any wonder some of us are messed up adults.

This is a journey of life ending and others finding joy and love in life for the first time

I loved it so much

I reviewed this book via netgalley

⭐️⭐️ 2 not for me stars.

This book was slow to get going and then as it progressed it was hard to gel with the characters.

The flashback scenes and hallucinations were very confusing and overall it just felt disjointed.

Sorry.

3.5 ⭐️
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC of this novel. This was my first ARC experience. It wasn’t without its hiccups, it took me a few weeks to figure out how to load it onto my kindle and & I struggled reading it on my phone but once I figured it out, I flew through the book.
Expected publication date: June 11, 2024

A journey of healing, forgiveness, trauma and finding family where you least expect it.

The 4 main characters and the mystery of the way (and the how) their lives intertwine is very interesting. It follows Matt, a man who has experienced a lot of loss and trauma. Julia, a woman determined to fulfill her promises to her grandmother, No matter the cost. Mama Rose, Julia’s grandma, a once feisty, eccentric fun woman now suffering with late-stage Alzheimer’s. Ie; running away to a commune in Arizona in the 70s (lol). And Liza, Matt’s cantankerous and mysterious grandmother.

Overall, I liked the story & it was much twistier than I anticipated! There was a point in which I checked what genre this was listed because it had some great twists that lead me to think it had a thriller aspect. There’s also a bit of magic that was built into the story that lead to great character development.

One note that I found through the book is POV sometimes lost me in the story. I think this would make more of an impact in first person POV.

I feel like I’ve read a totally different book to everyone else. Definitely a case of it’s not you, it’s me. I’m gutted because the synopsis had me from the start.