What a heartwarming story about family! In this emotional tale, a family is suddenly expanded to include two more teenaged girls for a total of four. Over time, they will become closer, but it sure is a struggle. Once again, as with all things I’ve read by this author, I loved this story!

Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde is an absolutely great book! It is about compassionate people and those who are learning to be compassionate. It is a realistic look at families, teens, and expectations.

ROLLING TOWARD CLEAR SKIES is the latest heartfelt and emotional story from one of my favorite authors, Catherine Ryan Hyde. Her books never disappoint and this one is no exception. This is a story of motherhood, blended families and hope for the future. Maggie Blount is the divorced mother of two teen girls and also a physician. She has a private practice but when natural disasters occur, Maggie and her partner, Alex, the founder of Doctors on Wheels, hit the road and do whatever they can to help. After a Category 5 hurricane in Louisiana, Alex and Maggie arrive on the scene and soon encounter two teen sisters and a puppy that have been orphaned by the storm. They quickly form a strong bond and before she knows it, Maggie has agreed to foster the girls. But what impact will that decision have on her two biological children and her relationship with Alex? What follows is a heart-wrenching and intense story of the impact of the adoption on everyone in the family. It is also a story of dealing with trauma, putting other’s need before one’s own and finding gratitude and acceptance. As always, Catherine Ryan Hyde writes with wisdom, compassion, and insight and I know this story will stay on my mind for a long time to come. Another winner that I highly recommend. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Maggie Blount is a doctor that helps in disaster zones. After a hurricane she bonds with two sisters who have become orphaned. She fosters them at her home, but her two daughters are not adjusting to the new blended family.

Catherine Ryan Hyde always writes such real stories. While fiction, it felt very realistic. The story is about adjustment and change in time of adversity and adolescents learning how to deal with that. We see two groups of teenagers, with very different experiences and how that affects their ability to adapt and mature. I was expecting some major life threatening adventure at the end, but instead it stayed true to reality with events that do happen every day.

Rolling Toward Clear Skies comes out 11/12.

An engaging story that looks at the complications of a family that changes when orphan teen girls are adopted. The two biological teen sisters resent the addition of the girls and their behavior reflects their resentment and their privilege. It is a telling remark and contrasts with the behavior of the adopted daughters. Their mother struggles with her own lack of judgment in raising her biological daughters, indulging their every whim. The road to creating a cohesive family is long and painful.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rolling Towards Clear Skies is the story of Maggie Blount, a divorcee, mother of two and doctor with her own practice. Maggie is also involved with Doctors on Wheels, a team of four medics who travel to disaster areas to assist. The opening chapters see Maggie and the team travelling to Louisiana to assist in the wake of Hurricane Mina. During her time there, she becomes involved with two teenage sisters, Rose and Jean, who have tragically lost their parents. With no one else able to care for them, she makes arrangements to take them back home with her. introducing not only two new teenagers, but also a boisterous puppy into the household. Predictably, Maggie is soon in trouble. While Rose and Jean are well mannered appreciative girls, her own tow - Willa and Gemma - are not.

At first I thought this storyline was going to be predictable, and in a way I guess it is. Her daughter's reaction to the new arrivals is hostile, and sometimes quite spiteful. The family break up has seen stability continue as Maggie and ex-husband Dan continue to co-parent. The two girls lack for nothing materially, but Maggie realises her job has taken priority and on occasions blames herself for their current behaviour - argumentative, rude and entitled! Conversely, Rose and Jean, who have lost both their parents and had the trauma of witnessing their deaths, are a delight. They appreciate everything, are helpful and have perfect manners. At first they tolerate their treatment from Willa and Gemma, but they soon find their voices and learn to stand up for themselves . Of course, there is a day of reckoning for Willa and Gemma, one which comes with a few shocks and home truths, shaking up their attitude and behaviour.

An interesting and entertaining read from Catherine Ryan Hyde. I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of Rolling Towards Clear Skies in exchange for an honest review.

Another warm novel from Catherine Ryan Hyde that will make you think. Maggie's somewhat impulsive decision to bring the orphaned Rose and Jean home changes everything, not only for those girls but also for Maggie's daughters Willa and Gemma. This is all about blending a family and the challenges everyone faces. Know that Willa and Gemma are almost obnoxious in their attitude and that Rose and Jean are almost too precious-the contrast is a lot. That said, it's a realistic situation and a good read.

This was the perfect time to read a new novel from Catherine Ryan Hyde. Her heartwarming stories about unconventional families always lift my spirits. Her newest one deals with several important issues like blended families, grief, climate disasters and cyber bullying. It would be an excellent read for teen readers as well as adults. Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author for an advance copy to read and review.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is an amazing storyteller who knows how to capture the reader emotionally and inspires them to be better. She takes realistic issues and hopefully helps us to grow and see that there is still goodness and kindness in the world.

In this story, Maggie Blount, a divorced mom of two teenage daughters and a California physician devotes her time to work with Doctors on Wheels. The group provides free medical care to disaster-stricken areas. It is while she is working with Doctors on Wheels in Louisiana, her heart is captured by two orphaned girls, Jean and Rose. The backstory and impact of the hurricane on these girls is just heartbreaking.

When Maggie ultimately decides to foster these girls, there is a major battle between Jean and Rose and Maggie’s own teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma. Jean and Rose have been through a horrible experience and are appreciative of the opportunity to have a home and family after losing everything. In contrast, Willa and Gemma seem to act little two spoiled brats who are used to getting everything they want and having their own way.

I absolutely loved this book and strongly recommend it to anyone who is interested in family dynamics and want a read that makes you think and will stick with you for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

#NetGalley #RollingTowardClearSkies #CatherineRyanHyde

I’ve never read a Catherine Ryan Hyde book before, until now, wow can she tell a story.
Emotional
Heartache
Devastation
Love
Family

Everything wrapped up into a sweet read about a family and their adopted daughters.

Excited to read another of her books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Books for an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

This book has a brilliant message and theme to it. This is my first book by the author and straight away I could feel how talented a writer This was
And how I'm definitely going to search out more of her books. You know when you.can just read such accomplished skill, well Catherine has it for writing.
This was all about blended families. And also what It means when people's behaviours impact us and others. But then how much is a parents or those supporting them fault. And what we can do about it.
The characters were really well described. I could conjure up my own personality picture for all of them.
Great first book of the author for me!

Maggie Blount is a California physician, divorced with two teenaged daughters, Willa and Gemma. She has a live in boyfriend, Alex, a male nurse who , with Maggie, runs a volunteer medical aid program which heads for disaster areas to give treatment to victims of such nightmarish phenomena as hurricanes ,earthquakes and wildfires.

In Louisiana, after a storm, Maggie comes across two teenaged sisters, Rose and Jean, suffering from severe pneumonia. The girls’ parents were killed in the storm although the sisters never speak of that horrendous incident the witnessed abd seem to move right onto a new and better life ( what???). After just a few days Maggie decides to takes the two orphans home and raise them together with her two very self centered daughters, Willa and Gemma. When a lost puppy arrives on the scene he too is taken back to California.

What ensues is a seemingly good premise with a lot of promise. For me it fizzled out early on and never lived up to my expectations. It was clear from the onset who was good or not good with characterization that lacked balance or deep emotion. As the story moved on to include coping with social media platforms and challenges, the characters remain so predictable that I was unable to identify with anyone nor could I muster up any real empathy even under sad or trying circumstances.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is among my favorite authors. This book, however, was disappointing. The characters are linear; one dimensional. Maggie is a wonder doctor, a do gooder; kind and focused on others to a fault, although having been a mostly uninvolved mother to her natural children up until this point. Alex is just window dressing. He is Maggie’s side kick without much personal depth or deep feelings Willa and Gemma are nasty, selfish spoiled brats. Ugh. Just not at all likable. Rose and Jean are just ever so grateful , perfectly behaved and unconvincingly well mannered that they don’t resemble and real teenager I’ve ever met. They seem to have both successfully detached from unimaginable trauma. The past is behind them. Really???

Two and a half stars rounded to three for a story that had some merit and addressed some important issues such as mothering, fostering, adopting, cost of medical care, family relationships, sibling rivalry divorce, and the influence of media on young people . This author can write books that creep into your heart and soul. Rolling Toward Clear Skies is not among her best efforts. My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my unbiased review. This book will be published on November 12, 2024, perhaps you will enjoy it more than I did.

This was an incredibly moving read from Catherine Ryan Hyde. The characters are so authentic and beautifully written, they felt so real to me and found a place in my heart. Jean and Rose were just such adorable young women that I would not have been able to leave them either. Rolling toward clear skies has many layers to it, the accessibility of healthcare, blended families, the struggle to parent, social media and many more. Like real lives the characters are complicated and complex. I could empathise with Maggie's children, but I'd have struggled to deal with their behaviour much like their mother. While she loved her daughters there were times she really didn't like them as people which is a part of parenthood that is not explored enough. This is a wonderful book that offers hope and comfort while not being sentimental and overly preachy. It is incredibly well written and I'll be seeking out more from the author.

As I took breaks from reading this book, I was wondering “why am I so drawn into every single book by this author that I read?”. It is not just that I enjoy them and think the story is interesting. It is that I am emotionally attached to every character that she has ever created! Every story becomes deeply imbedded in my mind and they do not leave. The answer I have arrived at is that she writes about “normal, everyday” people. These characters are not celebrities or anyone that would be front page news. They are you and me, living our normal lives. Of course, that is not totally the answer. It is also that Catherine Ryan Hyde has the immense talent to not only create these wonderful characters but also can mold a truly exceptional plot around them.

I have never been disappointed by one of her books and I am fascinated over and over again when I read a new book of hers that she has explored another unique idea in her newest release, such is the case with Rolling Toward Clear Skies. This book has given me the opportunity to experience many things I would never have otherwise. Throughout the pages, I saw that people can change, love can heal, grief will not go away but can fade, good people surround us, and family is more than blood related. There is so much within this book and once again, I am blessed to have found this insightful author that has given me so much enjoyment and education in her books.

I definitely recommend her newest release and hope that she has many more books to come in the future.

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC. #rollingtowardclearskies #NetGalley #catherineryanhyde

This was my first Catherine Ryan Hide book and it will not be my last! I enjoyed the storyline as it as engaging from the family perspective as I can not imagine fostering 2 teenage girls out of the blue. Maggie also has a very interesting work life as a doctor in her regular practice but also going into disasters and providing pro bono health care to emergency responders and victims that would not otherwise be able to afford this care. It as a quick read due to the her writing style. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing and Catherine Ryan Hyde for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.

Rolling Towards Clear Skies is expected to be released Nov. 12, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Rolling Toward Clear Skies follows Maggie, a divorced mother who is struggling with her daughters. She is also a physician who travels to disaster sites to help the victims. While helping at a site of a hurricane, Maggie meets two teenage girls who need a home. Maggie decides to foster the girls, which causes tension between her daughters. I enjoyed the story. Catherine Ryan Hyde writes stories that ultimately end happy, but there are a few bumps along the way.

Taking on teenagers👭👥👭

Catherine Ryan Hyde has such an easy writing style that makes even the thorniest issues real and interesting. Here she takes on a charitable-minded physician who decides to adopt two orphan sisters she encounters while providing medical care to the victims of a devastating hurricane. But her teenage daughters back at home who don't seem able to see past their own wants and needs are resistant and believe their grievances at giving the orphans a loving home are totally right and justified. What's the mother to do? Can they be melded into a united family?

It's a good story but not one of my favorites by the author. For some reason, I was never strongly drawn to any characters other than polite, empathetic and grateful Rose and Jean, the storm orphans. Perhaps I found daughters Gemma and Willa a bit too realistically flawed and stubborn in their self righteous complaints about Maggie and their new sisters.

The novel does a good job of highlighting the conflicts a working mother guilts over in balancing personal and professional life, the peer pressure teens face and the wide reach of social media, especially when it comes to naysayers and armchair critics.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Dr Maggie Blount and her partner - in both life and work - Alex, ran Doctors on Wheels, a not-for-profit where they headed into disasters to help, and heal, those in need. Now, accompanied by two other doctors, the four of them, plus their assistant, headed to Louisiana where a category 5 hurricane had decimated the area, leaving many homeless, many dead, and a lot of injured who didn't know where to go. As busy as usual, when Maggie noticed two young girls - probably around the same age as her own teen daughters - she was shocked at how ill they looked. Both had pneumonia and both were alone. Treating them, she ushered them to her RV, where they could rest. The younger of the two, Rose, found an abandoned puppy who was malnourished and terrified. Rose and her sister Jean, decided they wanted to help the puppy, whom they named Sunny.

Eventually, their job done, Doctors on Wheels headed for home, with three extra passengers. Maggie would foster the girls - and Sunny - until such time as a permanent place could be found. But Maggie's two daughters, Willa and Gemma, were not happy about the new arrangement. Self absorbed, entitled and pretentious, Maggie's girls were the opposite of the two polite, well mannered and grateful teens. What would Maggie do? Could she and Alex expect perfect harmony now there were four teens in the house?

Rolling Toward Clear Skies is another sensational read from Catherine Ryan Hyde which I loved. A blended family can be chaotic, especially at the beginning as everyone finds their space in the new norm. I felt for Maggie as she was tearing her hair out, wondering what to do next. Alex was pretty amazing with his support and biting his tongue when he needed to! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC to read and review.

If nothing changes, nothing changes. This statement rings true in life and through Catherine Ryan Hyde’s latest book, Rolling Towards Clear Skies. She did a great job showing how shaking things up, while painful, can change you for the better. Jean and Rose had undergone tragedy while Willa and Gemma had grown into entitled teenagers. Can they possibly live together as a family? I recommend you read and find out. I always enjoy Catherine Ryan Hyde books and this was no exception.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own. Publication date: November 12, 2024

My heartfelt thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Rolling Towards Clear Skies’ written by Catherine Ryan Hyde in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Dr Maggie Blount and her medical/romantic partner Alex are part of ‘Doctors On Wheels’, heading for wherever there’s a natural disaster. A hurricane has hit Louisiana and their first patients are two sisters Jean and Rose who are sick with pneumonia and have just watched their parents die while trapped in rubble. Maggie forms an immediate attachment with them and takes them home to foster and be part of her family. But her daughters Willa and Gemma are headstrong teenagers, entitled, spoilt and ungrateful, and they hate having to share their home, and although Maggie realises things aren’t going to be easy she hasn’t realised just how difficult life will be.

‘Rolling Towards Clear Skies’ is a truly exceptional story that tells of the problems encountered when living with a blended family. From the beginning I was so involved with this inspiring and beautifully conceived story that I couldn’t help having tears in my eyes, especially when reading of their kindness as they treat patients who’ve lost everything. All of the characters were wonderfully described, with Jean and Rose quickly edging themselves into my heart so that I wanted to take them and their puppy Sunny home and look after them. This novel, the sixth I’ve read by this amazing author, has captivated me from the first page to the last and I’ve loved every single moment. Even though I’ve finished reading, it’s one of those stories that I can’t stop thinking about and will be for some time to come.