What an amazing author! I was in a reading slump and up popped an ARC of Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde and that's all it took to pull me out! This book really resonated with me as a parent. Since there is no parenting manual, we kind of fly by the seat of our pants and hope all turns out well. I think this book provided insight to Maggie when she adopted two girls, orphaned by a hurricane, adding them to her family of two "entitled" daughters. The entitled daughters learned how their behavior was seen by others, and were able to become more sensitive to life situations.

This was an extremely read worthy.

I was provided an advanced copy by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was sooooo sweet! I absolutely adored this book: the topic of blended families isn’t talked about enough. It was beautifully done.

The characters in this book are so well developed and ‘real’ . I loved the story, it felt as though it reflects how society truly is and the influence that social media has. I’ll definitely look to read more books by this author and hope to enjoy them as much as this one.

Maggie & her boyfriend Alex take their motor home into disaster areas and tend to medical care for free services to people who need emergency care but can’t go to or get to hospitals. During one such event they rescue two sisters and a stray puppy who suddenly are orphaned. Maggie and Alex decide to look into fostering/adoption to be able to keep the girls together. However they aren’t sure how Maggie’s two girls Willa & Gemma will react to her bringing 3 extras into their home. Maggie’s girls are a bit entitled and learn some hard lessons in life along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Rolling Toward Clear Skies- I enjoyed it.

4 stars
This was my first Catherine Ryan Hyde book, but it will not be my last! I very much enjoyed this drama about a divorced doctor who runs a disaster relief non-profit. She rescues two teen girls after their parents die in a hurricane. Problems arise when she tries to blend them and her biological daughters into a family. The story is more character-driven than plot-driven. No big twists or turns, more of a gradual evolution.

One thing that confused me was that Alex, Maggie's significant other, alluded to her feeling emotions physically (I wish I had bookmarked the places) I couldn't tell if that was supposed to indicate she was on the autism spectrum or was an empath? It was never really explained what he meant.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is a new author to me and after reading this book I will definitely be checking her back catalogue.
This follows Dr Maggie Blount, a divorced mother of two teenage daughters. Together with her boyfriend Alex who is a nurse they form part of Doctors on Wheels, which provides medical assistance to those in need in disaster struck areas.
Following a Cat 5 hurricane she treats 2 teen girls Jean and Rose who tragically loose their parents. Maggie quickly bonds to them and when their only living relatives are not able to care for them she decides to foster them.
The story then follows Maggie having to navigate her relationship with her over privileged daughters Willa and Gemma who are appalled at their mother’s decision. Jean and Rose settle incredibly well into their new life, if I’m honest I felt this was slightly unrealistic, after loosing their parents so tragically I would have expected them to struggle to adapt as easily as they did.
What I think was portrayed so well was Willa and Gemma’s behaviour, it felt very believable from the start to the end of the book (no spoilers)
A really enjoyable heartfelt story.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC.

I’ve been a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde for a long time, but, sadly, this book missed the mark for me. The plot, in which a physician on a whim adds two orphans to her family of two very entitled teenagers, just didn’t ring true at all.

When I open a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde, I know I will be opening up an emotional, uplifting, story.
This one is all that!
Physician Maggie Blount, volunteers her services with a group called Doctors on Wheels and goes to help when there are life changing disasters.
She loves helping others. However it does come with a price.
Her teen-aged daughters (spoiled and selfish) do not like giving interrupting their daily routines for anything or anyone.

Following a devastating hurricane, two girls come to Maggie's clinic for needed medical treatment. They have lost their parents tragically and all they have.
But... they have rescued a puppy that also needs help and love.
They are everything her own daughters are not. Kind, selfless, thankful for each day and any help.

Maggie decides to bring them all (including the pup) into her home to foster them and help them heal.
How will this go with her own girls?
Can they learn to live with each other and even better, possibly be friends/sisters?

I love the lessons in this novel and the challenges that are so real.
My favorite quote and lesson: "When you love somebody they get prettier."
Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Lake Union Publishing for this ARC and allowing me to provide my own review. Well done!

This novel is a well-crafted and emotionally impactful story that successfully navigates contemporary themes, particularly addressing social media and cyberbullying. It portrays teenagers with depth and understanding, steering clear of stereotypes and emphasizing the importance of acknowledging mistakes.

Centered around Maggie, a doctor involved in charitable work after natural disasters, the narrative unfolds as she decides to adopt two young girls she meets during a hurricane relief mission. This decision challenges her relationship with her own daughters, leading to a journey of self-reflection and growth.

The characters are authentically portrayed, reflecting individuals we may encounter in real life, each grappling with personal struggles while striving to make a positive impact. The novel delves into themes of acceptance, family dynamics, and personal growth with nuance and compassion.

Highly recommended for its relatable characters and heartfelt storytelling. This compelling read showcases the author's talent for crafting engaging narratives that resonate with readers. A solid introduction to the author's work, enticing me to explore more of her past and future releases. Gratitude to NetGalley for the opportunity to delve into this emotionally resonant tale ahead of its publication.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

This is my third read by this author and I think it is an ok, shortish read. Not my favourite by her though.

I think the story is written well, it flows easily and the plot is good. But I wish I could have liked most of the characters more (especially Maggie's daughters). I usually like this authors books, her writing and story telling skills are normally a hit with me and I struggled here as I just couldn't connect or relate to the characters well. Saying this though, once I'd started reading I found I wanted to see how this blended family fared and I did like the ending here.

I don't think I'm the right fit for this book unfortunately, although I will still look at future books from Catherine Ryan Hyde.
If you like books with family drama and angst this is probably for you.

3 stars

Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for this digital ARC!

You can always count on a Catherine Ryan Hyde book to teach you a lesson and make you evaluate your own life and that holds true for this book too.

This is a story about making a blended family work while navigating teenage girls who have been given everything in life compared with two teenage girls who lost everything. It is at turns heartbreaking, frustrating, and heartwarming.

Worth the read!

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my favorite authors specifically because of the emotional connections readers make to her characters and the feelings she creates in her heartwarming stories. I understand what she was trying to emote in this book and really loved the doctors on wheels concept, but the dialogue seemed fake and too unrealistic. It was very predictable and I did feel for the orphaned girls, but this one did not hit me in the feels like almost all of CRH's other books have.

Unique situational setting. Characters were refreshingly real. Several topics covered:
Severe weather, emergency evacuations,
death, medical care, family dynamics and
life changes. Good read.

This author clearly has a great following of readers and is highly regarded. This is the first book I read of hers and unfortunately it wasn’t for me. It was very readable and I had no problem finishing it but it was a bit too sappy and predictable for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Catherine Ryan Hyde books are always a welcome read for me and this one was no exception. Maggie is a non profit doctor and has two teenage daughters. Through a disaster she takes on two teenage foster girls also. A story of family dilemmas and high quality disasters. I loved every minute of the story and am finding it hard to stop thinking about. I loved the characters and the plot left me feeling warm inside.

I always enjoy reading books by Catherine Ryan Hyde and was delighted to receive a copy of her new book Rolling Towards Clear Skies.
This is a story about a doctor Maggie who gives non profit help to people caught up in natural disasters.
Another great read from this author. I can’t wait for her next book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one surprised me! The beginning of the book, I thought I wasn’t going to make it out. Alex gave off “no family only girlfriend” vibes to me and that really bugged me based on the trajectory of the storyline. I didn’t give him enough credit, and I ended up loving his roll here.

I didn’t love Maggie as a main character, but I really appreciated her.

I think the progress of the girls and their relationship was good to see. And it certainly wasn’t glossed over like in some novels.

Overall, this wasn’t my favorite book ever written but I liked it and it was a nice read! I will still be recommending it to many others.

Always such a pleasure to read one of Catherine Ryan Hyde's books. They touch the heart in a special way. This one was a lot of ups and downs until the end where it got me. Such a beautiful ending to it all. Looking forward to her next book in anticipation.


Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an early release of this book.

Not my first book by this author, and as many of her other titles, I enjoyed this storyline. It was a quick, well written story with highs and lows as the book progressed. I also related personally to it on several fronts and that made it enjoyable as well.

Maggie is a Dr. for a non-profit Doctors on Wheels who gives medical assistance to those in need at disaster areas. She is divorced, has two daughters and lives with her boyfriend of several years who is a nurse with Doctors on Wheels. After a hurricane she treats two teenage girls who were able to evacuate their home but their parents did not get out and they drowned. Maggie tries to get the girls help through a social worker to find relatives, but does not have any luck. After much thought, Maggie decides to foster then adopt and many trials and tribulations ensue because Maggie's daughters aren't too happy about it! Throughout the story, the likeable (and not so likeable) characters evolve until all learn valuable lessons about themselves and life in general.

Catherine Ryan Hyde books are easy, joyful reads for me even when they confront difficult topics. I find the writing to be effortless and the story just flows. This isn't my favorite of hers but I enjoy the respite they give me and the time spent with folks who understand the complexity of the human condition.