Member Reviews
I really liked this book. In the beginning it took some time for me to get used to the voices of the narrators and the accent with whicht they spoke. But when it became normal, it no longer bothered me. I really liked the premise of the book, and I do think the author did a great job in telling that story. The characters were very loveable and I enjoyed their storylines. I am afraid it won't be a book I'll be thinking much about again, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.
I do recommend this book if you just want a fun book to listen to which won't take too much brainpower to understand and to follow.
Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio!
What a good book! I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It had me from page one and it was very well written.
This book was very engaging because of the dual perspectives of Sky and Beth that I liked. Their problems were so much like mine which made them easy to relate with. Giving it 4 stars was my initial thought but the sudden end made me want to know more about Beth’s daughter and Sky’s dad as well as left quite a number of things unanswered. The mystery around it was good but on the other hand felt incomplete such that everything was left unsaid so now I need more information.
This book was so different!
Can’t say I’ve read anything else like it!
Beth Sawyer is an older woman with an established life.
BUT…15 years ago her daughter ran away…without a trace.
Despite searching for her, a Private Eye looking too, she was never found.
Also, Beth and her friends LOVE to golf!
So when one day she finds a young girl who looks just like her daughter, has the same last name, and appears to be really good at golf…she wonders. Could this be her granddaughter??
The book explores the paths she takes to look into this and all the obstacles and blessings along the way!
Very different. Very sweet. And, very sad too!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #CamCatBooks for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
This releases in about THREE WEEKS on June 20, 2024, so look for it then!
#LadiesDay by #LisaWilliamsKline and narrated nicely by #RachelJacobs and #XeSands.
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“Ladies’ Day” by Lisa Williams Kline and brilliantly narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs and Xe Sands is a tale of how a family can be torn apart when one member disappears. Beth’s daughter Julie ran away from home 15 years earlier, and the ensuing search and grieving destroyed her marriage. But then Beth comes across a picture in a newspaper of a young golfer named Skye. Could THIS be Julie’s daughter? After all, Julie had always said that if she had a daughter, she’d name her Skye. Beth goes to watch Skye play golf in a tournament and then approaches her. It turns out Skye’s mother had disappeared when she was a baby. AND her name was Julie.
I loved the idea of this story. And the narrators did such a fabulous job being Beth and Skye. However, I was dragged down by the constant focus on golf, and I found myself setting the narration speed faster to get through those parts (something I never do!). I have a feeling if I was just reading the book, I would have stopped. The narrators really saved it for me. However, for golf fans, this would be a real plus of the book. But for me, I thought it was simply too much information and too much rambling on and on about the game. It took me out of a story that I really wanted to follow.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to the publisher for an ARC of this audio book. My opinion is my own.
This was definitely an emotional ride. Beth's daughter ran away 15 years ago, and since then her son has moved out and eventually across the country, she got a divorce and now her husband is remarrying, most of her friends have since lost interest in her quest to find her daughter, and the trail has gone cold on where her daughter could have gone. Until she sees a flyer of a teen girl that looks eerily similar to her daughter.
Sky is a fabulous young golfer who recently found out that her mother didn't die like her dad told her. Instead, Sky's mom just up and left one day. Her goal is to win her next big golf match in the hopes that her mom sees her and comes back.
The book is full of golf and heartache. I'm not a golfer at all, I've only ever mini-golfed so some of the terms were foreign to me, but it was nice to see women in a predominately male centric sport. It's a quick, summer read, with Hallmark vibes and chick-lit power.
Beth and Sky are both complex characters with the weight of missing someone hanging heavily on their shoulders. This story is about discovery, letting go, the power of grief and the bonds of family. My heart broke a few times while listening, and by the end I was emotionally exhausted in the best way. This story lingers with you, and makes you want to call your mom.
My only gripe with this audiobook was Beth's narration was so low it was hard to listen to while I was in the car. I had to crank the volume up to max, and then Sky's part would come on and blast my ears. But other than that, it was a pleasant few hours and I loved the story in its entirety.
⭐⭐⭐
Ladies' Day by Lisa Williams Kline, an audiobook narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs and Xe Sands is a heart-wrenching and heart-warming story with many little stories within it. The narrators have done fantastic narration and made this story so alive!
I liked it but I didn't love it. It was way too slow and too long. This book was told from Beth and Sky's point of view and it gives a good understanding and sense of the full picture but I really missed Julia's point of view as a flashback from the past.
This book will be such a gem to all golf lovers as a fair amount of this book concentrates on golf.
When Beth saw the picture of young golfer Sky she could not believe the similarities between Sky and her daughter Julie who ran away 15 years ago. Can Sky be the daughter of Julie? Beth is ready to find out the truth but her ex-husband Mark thinks that she must let it go. The trauma of losing Julie already led to their divorce but Mark believes that they must move forward with their life.
But Beth just can't let it go and is ready to open old wounds.
Thank you, NetGalley and CamCat Books for this copy!
A pleasant, enjoyable read fit for all ages. It took me a bit of time to get into it but once I did, super easy read. Love a good dual POV book. There was nothing exceptional about this book and also nothing terrible. Just a solid 3.75/5 stars.
I enjoyed this book a lot. The characters are relatable and the narrator presents them in a way that eases the story along flawlessly. I love how Beth holds onto hope that she will find her daughter after all these years and ends up seeing a photo of a young girl and having a feeling she was her granddaughter. She meets her and after getting to know her, she is very sure that Sky is her grandaughter. Sky has a dream that someday her mother will come see her golf. After a secret DNA test, it is revealed that she is in fact her granddaughter. Beth also hired another private investigator to attempt to find her daughter again. Sky felt betrayed by her grandmother's decision to DNA test her behind her back so she left and went back to the man who raised her. The story concludes with Sky winning the Golf tournament and her mother, grandmother, grandfather, and the man she calls Dad watching from the sidelines.
I think the author must love golf, or something like that. Golf was a big piece of the story and I didn’t think I had feelings about that until this book when I realized I don’t like golf much and I think it gave me a mediocre view of this one. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. A pretty average read.
🌀Synopsis
Beth’s daughter Julie ran away years ago and she never really recovered. When she finds a paper with a girl who looks like Julie she decides to investigate. She just can’t give up hope that her daughter is still out there somewhere and that they’ll be able to mend their relationship.
What she finds is a girl who is struggling to make it. Sky is a wonderful golfer but her dad doesn’t have a ton of funding for her to get the best equipment and the course she works at helps her raise funds so she can participate in tournaments.
Sky is convinced if she golfs well enough her mom will come back to see her win big. That’s where these two worlds collide. Beth immediately tells Sky her inclination about being her grandma. This sets Sky on a hunt to figure out more about her mom.
What she finds is that her dad has been harboring a long secret and now she’s forced to figure out this new reality with this new relationship with Beth in it too.
This audiobook was easy to follow, and i enjoyed who narrated the story. I did find this book easy to follow. I wish it would have picked up sooner though, I did find it super slow, and at times i did lose interest. This story was about family, and friendships and the love of golf. I would be interest to read more from this author.
I recently listened to Ladies' Day written by Lisa Williams Kline and narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs and Xe Sands. I was drawn to this audio book because of the narrator, Xe Sands. I have listened to several of her narrations in the past and have always enjoyed. This one included. Both narrators did a great job, and Rachel L. Jacobs did a nice job narrating the younger character, Sky.
Beth is a divorcee. She has a son living overseas and a daughter who went missing many years ago. Beth's ex-husband is living a glamorous life with a put-together fiancée, which Beth lives in their family home and drives an older beat-up car. Beth's marriage was torn apart after their daughter's disappearance. Additionally, many of her friendships changed, as people found her obsessed over her daughter.
While golfing with her gal pals, Beth randomly meets a man, who she finds enjoyable, and they are some fun together. Her friends also show her an article about a high school golfer, who happens to look a whole lot like Beth's missing daughter.
The book was enjoyable but maybe a little slow. I enjoyed listening to a book with a main character who is not 25. Ha! Sometimes all these books make me feel a bit old. The story has many little stories within in it that were enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the advanced listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review. I don’t know the first thing about golf but it didn’t take anything away from the story for me. I actually found the golf references easy to follow and they definitely added to the overall experience of the book. Heartbreaking and charming in equal measure, a beautifully written story about family dynamics and friendships. I really enjoyed listening to it and would definitely recommend it to others. 4 stars.
Ladies Day tells the story of middle-aged divorcee Beth Sawyer, who enjoys weekly golf nights with her girlfriends as a way to blow off steam after long days of teaching college students. She's still struggling emotionally after the disappearance of her 15 year old daughter as many years ago.
One day, her friend shows her a flyer of a young girl who is entering a golf tournament and who just happens to look a lot like her missing daughter, shares the same last name, and has the first name her daughter once said she loved.
Sky Sawyer is a 15 year old up-and-coming golfer who has been raised solely by her father since her mom's disappearance when she was a toddler. When she is approached by a woman after one of her tournaments claiming to be her potential grandmother, she isn't sure how she feels about what she's learning about her own family history.
The book follows Beth's renewed search for her daughter, her attempts at connecting to her possible granddaughter, Sky's trying to make sense of her own narrative while also trying to rise in her sport, and all the other elements of life (friendship, romance, growing up, family drama, etc).
I'm giving this a 3.5 star review, and that's only because I found the ending very dis-satisfying. The entire plot builds up to a certain pivotal moment (I'll spare you the plot spoiler), but then it's barely addressed and the book just comes to a sudden halt. It almost felt like a few chapters were just cut off the ending.
I really loved reading this story, and related to all the characters within the book. I am not a golfer, but found myself actually enjoying the imagery, descriptions, and facts relating to golf and golf tournaments.
I didn't love the audiobook narration (sometimes Beth's character sounded drunk), but it grew on me as I progressed through the book. I did enjoy Sky's narrator, and appreciated having two voice actors for the different perspectives.
If the book had a better ending and a bit shorter of a middle section, it would have been a solid 5 stars. Anyone who has an interest in golf will take special liking to the story, as well as anyone who enjoys stories of family reunifications.
Thank you #NetGalley and #LisaWilliamsKline for the ARC of the audiobook.
Solid 3.75 stars. This is a solid book with steady burn. It had drama, loss, heartbreak, new beginnings and love. Very relatable for women of a retirement age.
Lasting rounds of golf is an underlying theme of this book. Ladies Day is not only a romance but a journey of self-discovery. Lisa Williams Klines uses a two narrator approach gives perspective from an older woman, Beth, discovering a young, talented golfer who bears the name of her estranged daughter, and her supposed granddaughter, Sky, weave together to form a story of hope and self-discovery as they both yearn for understanding of why they lost the most important person in their lives.
This book was a quick and easy read, offering solace that dreams could come true.
This is the story of Beth and Sky Sawyer, but mostly Beth. Beth's daughter Julie ran away from home many years ago, and Beth has reason to believe Sky is Julie's daughter. Meanwhile, Sky -- a teenage golf sensation -- has dreams of finding her own estranged mother. This story has both heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. The Ladies Golf Day storyline was a minor one, but since golf courses are the primary setting for the novel, it seems appropriate to include it. While there was nothing earthshattering about this book, and Beth made some poor choices that she certainly regretted, one can't help rooting that things work out well for Beth in the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I had been offered a review copy of the audio book. I wasn't sure I wanted it, but now that I've read it, I'm very glad I was given the opportunity to listen to it.
Beth Sawyer has lost a lot over the last 15 years. Her daughter, Julie, left with a young man and hasn't been heard from since. Beth was obsessed with finding her and her obsession caused her to drive her husband away and her son has moved to the West coast.
When she sees a photo of a young phenom girl golfer, who looks like her daughter at that age, and her last name is Sawyer, Beth needs to see her. Then she needs to speak with her, and get to know her. The more she knows, the more Beth is sure that she is the girls', Sky's, grandmother. Beth has learned a lot over the years, so she doesn't rush in, but she does push herself into Sky's life.
Sky, meanwhile is dealing with some mean girls, her relatively lower level financial status, struggling to pay for golf gear, and entry fees. When she finds out that her beloved father isn't her birth father, she faces a crisis.
Sky and Beth both struggle with their new life realities and both learn to deal with their emotions, interactions with friends and families, and building new and stronger relationships.
I thought the story was engaging, satisfying and enriching. The audio book had two narrators and each one read the chapters relating to either Beth or Sky. I enjoyed both narrators. I am very happy to have read this book.
Thank you NetGalley and CamCat Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Sky is a golf phenom – she’s making headlines all over the area with her skill and poise. Sky has a great support network with her friends and her dad. But the one person she wants there more than anyone walked out on her years ago. Just when she thinks it’s a lost cause, she is confronted by someone who knew her mom decades ago who is desperate to find her, too. Will Sky’s rising fame bring her mom home, or will it be full of other surprises she never saw coming?
Lisa Williams Kline is known for her young adult and adult books that take a light spin on romance and family drama, and Ladies’ Day is no different. The book has recently been nominated for a North Carolina Humanities 2024 Great Reads From Great Places. This book shows that the apple never really falls far from the tree. The author also focuses on the power of long-lasting friendships and the family we choose for ourselves. This is a book about recognizing the love we are given and meeting people where they are.
I give Ladies’ Day 4 out of 5 stars. I appreciate the author’s use of common themes throughout the novel – golf, loss of someone you love, and the true family the characters chose for themselves. I also appreciate the inclusion of alternative families like Sky’s father and showing that family looks different for everyone. I did find it hard to believe some of the legalities around Sky’s family and the fact that a mother allowed her son’s teenaged girlfriend to move in with them for even one night. I connected with the character of Sky who just wants to do this on her own, but has people trying to “help” all around her.
This is a cute family drama with romcom moments and would be great for anyone looking for a quick weekend read. I would recommend this book to more mature audiences over 13 years old. However, I would also warn readers against this book if they are sensitive to abandonment of parents or estrangement of children. If you enjoyed Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey and are looking for something with more of a girlfriend group spirit, this is the book for you!
I chose Ladies’ Day after seeing it on Netgalley because of the description and the cover. I also noticed it’s being brought to market by CamCat Books and the Independent Book Publishers Association. CamCat is a newer publisher representing some great authors and their award-winning books like Dead Air by Michael Bradley and Dead Men’s Silence by James Lindholm.
Lady’s day is a different from what I usually read but it was still very interesting. I really liked that I got both Sky and Beth’s perspective so I could get a better understanding of Julie and of course Sky and Beth themself. I also liked that there were two narrators, so it felt like it was Beth and Sky who read the story.
I know nothing about golf and have only played it once or twice in my life and neither of the times was outside, but it wasn’t boring to read about it in a way it made it even more interesting because I then learnt a little about.
This book was pretty good and If I get the chance to ARC read or listen to one of Lisa Williams Kline’s books again it fore sure do it.
3,4
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.