Heartwarming story that takes us through the stages of grief into the healing process. Enjoyable read. Four stars.

I felt that if I were older I would have enjoyed this more, but otherwise it was a good book. While everyone should be mindful the characters talk a lot about weight and weight loss. I wish it was portrayed in a more positive manner. But I m happy the main character chose herself in the end!

If it were possible to recommend a book to another book, I'd suggest this one take a look at "Meditations for Books Who Do Too Much." There's a tendency with first time published authors to cram every idea they've ever had into that first book, just in case they never get a chance to write another - and this one suffers from it.

If the book limited itself to the story summarized in the synopsis, it would still be more complex than many similar titles. But the summary describes perhaps the last quarter of the book, when things start to settle down. Frankly, if the author had just fleshed out that last 25% a bit and had that as the entire book, it would have been better. The lengthy saga leading to that point consists of our protagonist, Katie, inexplicably marrying an obvious con man after having known him for only a few days. Since JC/James's lies are obvious to everyone except Katie (who, contrary to the establishment of her character's interactions with every other person or situation in the story, is Harry Potter level oblivious to his poorly hidden objectives), there's absolutely no suspense or tension to any of it. You could replace almost all of the first 75% of the book with "Katie returned to Northern Virginia after a brief and unhappy interlude in South Florida, where she had moved for an immediately regrettable but well-paying job with a major cruise line. Her return also marked her separation from her grifter of a husband whose plans to enrich himself by marriage to an IT executive were thwarted by her pandemic-related furlough. In fact, the only positive souvenir of her temporary sojourn as a Florida Woman was the acquisition of her new best friend, Rhiannon." Then go on to tell the story of the Beach Babes, since they seem to be the focus of the series that will follow.

The choice to use the screeching cicadas of 2021 as the the climactic point of the ending was...a choice. I seem to recall that they were not quite as overwhelming in NOVA as they were in the Midwest, but the idea of their screams being a romantic soundtrack is both improbable and disturbing. It also reduces both Katie and Deke's time raising their respective children to a 17 year hibernation, which doesn't seem like how either of them would describe their lives outside of the forced comparison.

The best part of the book is the touches of personality unique to the characters and setting - the year-round holiday tree, the individual ways each Beach Babe makes smores, etc. As the series moves forward, I hope there's more time for those moments and less of the manufactured dramatics.

All that said, the audiobook narrator did a commendable job of staying consistent throughout the swings of tone and pacing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Carolyn McBride's debut novel is a heartwarming tale of mid-life resilience. Katie, struggling with loneliness and failed relationships, embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Despite making poor choices, her story resonates with readers who recognize their own imperfect paths.
The novel celebrates female friendships, family ties, and the beauty of nature. McBride's love for her childhood home shines through in her evocative descriptions. Katie's victories, including a meaningful relationship, ancestral discoveries, and personal growth, offer hope and inspiration for those seeking a second chance.

I felt like the protagonist was a little hard to relate to. For a grown woman in her midlife age, she seemed incredibly naive. I found myself wanting to shake some sense into her.

All that to say, the story of female friendship was wonderful and a true testament to the importance of friends no matter where you are in your life.

I felt like the love story at the end was secondary to the story and power of friendship and family.

The Cicada Spring, well it just did not hit home with me. I loved the cover, I know, I know your not supposed to pick about from that but.... then it started with Covid-19 and I stuck with it. Any thing relating to that is just blah. There was good charter development and the narrator did a great job. But every time they mentioned anything about vaccinations and Dr. Fauci. I just see anything with this topic and know I should run.

Thank you NetGalley.

Don't you just want to jump into this cover and sit beside her? This is a story of transforming past choices into positive changes. It speaks to becoming an empty nester and how to navigate a new phase of life. It highlights the strong bonds of female friendships and the power of their faith and honest connection. (Go, Bonfire Babes!)
I felt many emotions as Katie experienced many circumstances that happen in most adult lives. I felt like her and the other characters were relatable. She turned turmoil into something peaceful and prosperous both personally and professionally.
The narration by Maria Marquis was excellent. She was able to bring the characters to life.
I enjoyed this narrative and watching Katie come into her own. Thanks, NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#NetGalley #TheCicadaSpring #GeneralFiction #Romance #WomensFiction

The Cicada Spring was just what I needed. A small-town romance (it gives Virgin River vibes), this book has it all: strong female characters, a slow-burn romance, drama, and a scenic backdrop. The emotional depth of the story kept me engaged from start to finish.

The main character, Katie, embarks on a new chapter of her life after her daughter leaves for college. Her journey, filled with ups and downs, is one that many of us can relate to. She quickly remarries, only to realise she may have moved on too quickly. Throughout the novel, Katie hits the “reset button” on her life more than once, navigating significant changes over a year.

Maria Marquis’s narration was spot on, with a well-paced delivery and just the right amount of emotion in her voice. She truly brought the story to life. I would gladly listen to anything she narrates in the future because of her ability to immerse the listener in the story and her skill in bringing out the nuances of the characters and the plot.

Overall, this audiobook was fantastic and really enhanced the story's experience. It had the power to evoke strong emotions, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to friends and family who love women’s fiction and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for providing me with an Audio ARC of The Cicada Spring in exchange for my honest review.

Beautifully written and narrated, this book was perfect for a mom of young adult children. The main character is a new empty nester who struggles with all the challenges of late middle age. The book was authentic, and female readers "of a certain age" will be able to relate the the characters and the situations faced by many of us.

This had a slow start. Kind of hard to keep story lines straight. I did really enjoy this audio book. Would recommend this book.

This book feels somewhere between a coming-of-(middle)age story and a gossip session with your best friends. The twist and turns of Katie’s relationship with James are absolutely crazy. Even when I could see what might happen next, I was so hoping to be wrong because Katie didn’t deserve any of that! Katie is so great, and wish we had seen more of her daughter (though I understand this was Katie’s story and hers alone). While I immediately was drawn to Katie, I never felt bigger feeling that “extreme interest” while reading, no love, hate, hope, nor despair. My biggest complaint was that the narration was inconsistent with accent, which often brought me out of the story. Overall, an enjoyable read that doesn’t get too heavy even when discussing serious topics!

This is a story of a single mom who has recently become an empty nester and is feeling lost. While the predicament is real and the writing was well done from a descriptive standpoint, I had a hard time connecting to Katie and her decision making for the first 2/3 of the book at least. The author did do a very good job at covering the pandemic and grieving during that time, and the last quarter of the book was more enjoyable and better paced for me. The audiobook was narrated well and helped with the flow when I felt like it was lagging a bit. Overall not bad, and still a solid 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The Cicada Spring. By Carolyn McBride

This is a story of a mom who is at the stage in life where she becomes an empty nester. She is discovering that there is life out there for her beyond her daughter. She embarks on a journey accepting an unbelievable job offer, then finds love almost immediately. All things are not as they appear but she slowly figures out the truth and begins to get her life back on track. Her relationship with her daughter and her mother are strained as well, because of her choices.

I enjoyed reading this book, it was entertaining and a sweet easy read. Although the main character did have me frustrated with how easily and quick she could fall for someone.

The setting of this novel sounds absolutely beautiful and peaceful. I loved how in the author’s note she explained how she made the home just as her parents dream home had been. Very touching!

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review

Taking place on the Potomac shores, this is a cozy read focused on how the women in our lives keep us going. Fans of Susan Wiggs and Robyn Carr will find much to love here, with its cozy, small-town vibes and emotionally resonant storylines. Set in the present day, the story includes COVID and its personal tolls, adding a layer of relatability and depth. Her best friend is the standout character as someone you want to spend more time with, and the narration is excellent.

On the flip side, the warrior metaphor is a bit much for me, and the beginning feels rushed to establish the history and setting. As it develops, Katie could dig a bit deeper into her self-reflection and show more growth. Despite that, it's a sweet, charming read.

Note for readers: includes Christian themes.

I listened to an ARC audiobook of "The Cicada Spring" by Carolyn McBride via NetGalley - thank you!

For me, this book was in audiobook version and I really enjoyed this story.

There are multiple parts within the book that I didn't see coming and had to pick my jaw up off the floor. There are so many twists and it's really nice because it held my attention throughout the entire book as I was waiting to see what would happen next.

When I first started this book, my first thought was that I didn't want to even listen to it at all. This book is set during COVID times, I work in health care and thought that I didn't want to read it because I am so over COVID and that I didn't want to re-live anything from that time. Man, am I glad I listened to it anyways!

There are a few parts in the book that I kind of rolled my eyes to because it didn't realistically make sense or that there is no way certain things would actually happen, but if you can get past those, I think you would really enjoy this book.

I will be recommending this book to my book club!

I really enjoyed this author's debut novel. The narrator did a very good job , which added to the experience.

Katie finds herself all alone when her daughter leaves for college. This is finally her chance to make some changes in her career and her love life, even if she it taking a huge leap of faith.

This is not only a story about second chances, but is about friendship and courage. I love the women that Katie surround herself with. And although her daughter is young, she definitely shows that she has a good head on her shoulders as well.

The story takes place along the Potomac River and McBride's descriptions made me feel like I was there. I did learn a lot about Cicadas. This also takes place during the Covid shut downs. This brought back some strong emotions, at least for me.

I highly recommend book and can't wait to see what McBride follow this up with.

In the Cicada Spring, Katie has a lot of life changes happening at the same time: a daughter off to college, a new job in a new state, a whirlwind engagement and wedding, followed shortly by the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of a family member. All of these changes have left Katie reeling and unsure what to do next.
I liked that Katie was a middle-aged heroine. Not a lot of books have their starring characters at that point in life. This book focused heavily on friendships and especially those friendships that make up family, so it was a delight to meet new characters. There was a huge environmental focus near the end of the book and I really enjoyed learning more about the Potomac River and the birds and insects it supports.
This book was not a light read due to a lot of the turmoil the main character experiences, but the ending is hopeful as all the storylines tie up.

With this being a cicada year, I was excited to see several books released related to the insects. This one I picked to read because of the middle-aged MC who is finding themselves again. It started off kind of ick for me with a weird new husband that was older and possessive, then we moved to more ick when he wouldn't divorce him and finished with ick when he tried to shoot eagles out of their nests. This story felt a little too long for my enjoyment as we continued to come back and complain about the circumstances of the MC to her family or friends and then we added the Covid overlay. If there had been no covid storyline, I would have thought this was a contemporary novel, but then had to shift my mind back 5 years and remember what it was like at the start of the pandemic. Many people don't want to relieve that time of their life this close to it happening. While this is a first book in a series set in the Potomac, it might be the only one I listen to as I wasn't loving the characters or setting.

The narrator did a phenomenal job reading this book. She brought the characters to life. Not one time did I question which character was talking. She made this book enjoyable. The flow and pace was good but at times a bit slow. I think that was due to the story line and not the narrator.
The book itself isn't something I would normally read. The story is more about friendship and rebuilding your life again, with a hint of romance.
There was a lot happening with the main character. She was making very poor decisions for someone her age which to me was very unrealistic. I felt like it was too much in one story. It wasn't the worse story I've ever read. There was a lot of potential for this book. But for me it kind of fell flat.
I did enjoy the friendships the main character had with her friends and the marsh man. One of the female main character friends started questioning things in her own relationship. Which to me was weird that she started going through similar things right after the main character did. Again way too much going on in this story.
The description I felt was a bit misleading. Going into this I thought it was a book about a divorcee who recently lost her mom and decided to move back home where she meets this marsh man and falls in love. Its not like that till maybe about 50% through the book.
There's alot of talk about the pandemic in this book also something not mentioned in the description. Honestly I've listened and read about pandemics for too many years now that I sure don't want to read about it in a fiction novel.
In conclusion I give this book 4 stars because the audio was perfection the narration is what got me through this book. And the author did do a phenomenal job as far as creating loveable characters and beautifully described settings.
I would not recommend this book if you're looking for a romance but if you're looking for one about friendships and hardships then you may enjoy this.
I received the audio of this book from netgalley & the publisher for a honest review.

The Cicada Spring: A Potomac Shores Novel by Carolyn McBride was a great introduction to this new series. It took place in both Virginia, along the banks of the Potomac River, and in Miami, Florida. The timeline for The Cicada Spring coincided with the onset of the Pandemic. It also saw the reemergence of the cicadas who had been dormant for seventeen years. The Cicada Spring explored mother/daughter relationships, second chances for a new life, friendships, support systems and loss. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Maria Marquis. The cover was my initial draw towards choosing to listen to the audiobook of The Cicada Spring but I was quickly immersed in the story as soon as I started listening to it.

Katie Young was an involved and loving single mother soon to become an empty nester. Her beautiful, strong and independent daughter was about to become a college freshman. Katie had focused all her time, energy and attention on her daughter for the past seventeen years. What would she do now? Fortunately, Katie had just received an offer for a new job. The timing was perfect. Her daughter was excited for her. The only thing that made Kate hesitant was that she would be leaving her mother in Virginia but the job was too good to pass up. Living in a warm climate was enticing as well. Soon after Katie dropped her daughter off at college, she traveled down to Florida to start her new job.

Just when Katie didn’t think things could get any better for her she met a man who was easy on the eyes and managed to sweep her off her feet. They had a whirlwind relationship that culminated in marriage within a very short period of time. Both Katie’s daughter and mother warned her that it was too soon to enter into a marriage with this man but Katie knew how she felt. He was too good to be true. Everything about him was perfect. He was attentive, caring and romantic. They would make his houseboat their home until they decided where to live. However, as soon as they had married, everything started to fall apart right before Kate’s eyes. She tried to ignore the red flags and the changes that surfaced but it was difficult. Katie realized that her marriage was over before it began. Her new job was in jeopardy as well. Covid was just becoming a reality. Then Katie received the worst news she could have ever imagined. Her mother had been infected with Covid and had died from it. Katie didn’t have to think twice. She left Florida, her marriage of less than six months and her husband who had become a complete stranger to her and returned to her mother’s home in Occoquan, Virginia. Katie returned to her childhood home, the home where her mother had died, to her memories of her father, his boat and the river and to her support system, the Bonfire Beach Babes. As the spring thaw took over the land and the cicadas began to emerge, Katie was pulled toward the river and the boat she had loved as a child. More than anything, Katie wanted to go out on the boat and connect with the water and nature again. The boat had not been used in a long time. Was it fate that brought a helpful stranger to assist Katie in getting her boat back on the Potomac? Did Katie believe in second chances? Who was the handsome stranger that had come to her rescue?

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Cicada Spring by Carolyn McBride. Katie’s character evolved over the course of the book. She became stronger and more confident and learned how to believe in herself again. The friendships that Katie forged with the women evolved in the Bonfire Beach Babes were authentic and beautiful. I enjoyed how Katie and her daughter became even closer after Katie’s return to Occoquan. Second chances, friendships, family, nature, hope and love were some of the themes that helped make this book so memorable for me. I recommend The Cicada Spring if you enjoy romance and women’s fiction. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Thank you to Make Waves Press for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Cicada Spring: A Potomac Shores Novel by Carolyn McBride through Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.