Katie Young is a single mom turned empty nester, and she's wondering what the next chapter of her life will bring. When a chance opportunity for a dream job comes up, she decides to take a step toward reclaiming her identity as an independent woman and look go on the job interview. While in town, she runs into an old friend, JC, who is thrilled to see her and invites her to postpone her return home and spend the weekend with him on his yacht.

Little does she realize that his wining and dining all has an ulterior motive, and that motive sends her world into a tailspin over the next year, separating her from friends and family, and making her doubt her own judgment. By the time the pandemic begins, she's happy to isolate herself away from everyone and try to regain her sense of self. More importantly, she's ready to figure out her next steps and reclaim her life. But JC isn't going to make that easy for her...

"The Cicada Spring" may be a hard read for anyone who's ever been in a domineering relationship where they've lost their sense of self, but it's also a testament to the healing power of family and friends. I can't tell you how many times I cringed, wishing Katie were making better choices. But I also thoroughly understood the mindset that makes it so easy to be led down the yellow brick road. By the end, I was cheering for Katie. Thanks to the support of her inner circle of friends and family, not only did she regain her sense of self, but she found her purpose and passion in life.

Thank you to Carolyn McBride, Make Waves Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy.

The Cicada Spring by Carolyn McBride

Katie Young is now an empty nester, her daughter has gone off to college, and she has met a man that is everything she has dreamed of. Going through a whirlwind relationship, she marries the man that swept her off her feet, against her mom and daughter’s reservations. Moving to Florida, living on a boat, starting a new job and most of all, starting a new life with her new husband, isn’t what she expected, and as the layers are revealed, she realizes that she has made a big mistake

When Katie finally talks to her mother, worried about her mother hearing about her failed marriage, they reconnect. Days later, her mother dies from CoVid. With her life spiraling, she returns home, grieving her mother and regretting her rash marriage. When she sees the handsome stranger, she develops a friendship, helping her through such a difficult time

I liked the characters, especially her friends. I like the way they all came together, supporting each other, and ending their get togethers with prayers. I enjoyed the way she eventually came around and started showing some strength.

I disliked the COVID storyline. Hike for the most part, the author only touched on parts, it was still a major theme. I thought it was more of life and love after divorce and empty nesting, but felt more of the story revolved around pandemics and covid. I disliked how easily manipulated Katie was in the beginning and through most of the book.

I loved the narrator and her voices were engaging. She had me drawn in and I could continue to listen to her voice.

I genuinely enjoyed this book, kept listening whenever I got a chance, and wanted to know what was going to happen. It had solid themes with some depth, and transported me to vivid settings on land and water in both Florida and Maine.

I gave it 3 stars instead of 4 because it lacked subtlety and didn’t show a lot of character depth or growth. I think more could have been done to refine the inner and interpersonal dialogues to make the whole story more poignant and less cringey. The narrator did a good job with the material, and had a calming reading voice.

All in all, I enjoyed it and will keep my eyes open for future books from this debut author. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

This story tells of a mom of college age student in middle age trying to find her place in the world during pandemic.

This book captivated me from the very beginning. I not only enjoyed the story, but the history & science lessons embedded throughout. The MC was super relatable and her experiences were realistic. The story broke my heart at times, but also gave me so much hope. I cannot wait to read the next book from this author!

The Cicada Spring is a slow-burn love story told through Katie's eyes. It follows her through the trials and joys of love, friendship, and simply living. I found the mentions of the pandemic to be the right amount; reminders of things without being overly heavy. I appreciate that Katie is not perfect and has to live through the consequences of her decisions. It is overly verbose during the slower portions while hopping and skipping through the active scenes. The narration was wonderful. I definitely would read it again and look forward to the sequel.

The novel “The Cicada spring” written by Caroline McBride is a mediocre story, however it holds many important lessons for women of all ages. Although I didn’t really enjoy this story, which dives into the life of a middle aged mother attempting to rediscover her path in the midst of a ‘life quake’ I think it should be on many TBR shelves. Though Katie is learning these life lessons in her late thirties, I believe even young women should take a chance on this novel. I definitely wouldn’t read it again and there is few people I’d recommend it to but personally I still think it was worth the read. As for the audio aspect I feel that I really enjoy listening to this voice actors work. Their voice is well suited for this novel and the reading is clear and precise.

What a fantastic first book for this author. It was full of issues that middle age women could relate to but also issues that affect the whole world. I couldn’t put this book down. All the characters were credible and at times I was emotionally involved. I would recommend this book to every middle aged woman to read..

I found the synopsis of this book really intriguing and wasn't sure what else i would find.
What I found was a great story about a single woman with a grown daughter who moves to FL for a new job and fresh start to her life. She meets a wonderful man, he woos her and they spend all their free time sailing on his boat and suddenly get married. When this happened so quickly I felt like it was a setup but wasn't sure.
Kate ends up moving back to VA to take care of her mother's estate when she unexpectedly passes and her new husband disappears.
What follows is jaw dropping and infuriating. I however was glad that because of friends and the decisions she makes later in the book, that it ends happily.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy of The Cicada Spring.

I love the beautiful cover of this book. I can imagine sitting on that dock taking in the sunset on a warm summer evening. I think it is a great title. In the past few years, I have been lucky enough to have lived in a state that has cicadas and fireflies and I love it. I enjoyed that the story is about persevering through life's difficulties, friendship and family. However, especially at the beginning, I found the storyline syrupy sweet and a bit unbelievable. The main character, Katie just was too naive and gullible for someone in mid-life, especially a single mother with a grown child. The story improved at about midway, and I do think it is great that Carolyn McBride has chosen to write a story about mid-life, it seems that there are so few stories of this time period. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narration by Maria Marquis. I do feel that the setting of time during COVID is a little hard to take on this soon with so many lives completely changed, and the scars are still so fresh. Thank you to Net Galley and Make Waves Press for providing me an ARC copy of this title.

Review of audio version:

I wasn't sure about this at first - but it definitely proved me wrong. The narration is spot on and I think that added to the charm of this book.

Single Mom Katie Young has a daughter going off to college and decides to move on. A whirlwind romance is the understatement as she gets married to NOT Mr. Right. Katie heads home to Potomac Shores and the small town of Occoquan following the death of her mother where her Dad's boat, the water and old friends (and a new friend) take her through the grief, the pandemic and rebuilding her life.

A bit soapy at points I recommend this list.

Thanks to Netgalley and IBPA for the opportunity to listen to this book.

#Netgalley

3.75⭐️
This follows Katie Young as she navigates a new and confusing marriage, faces the COVID-19 pandemic, and rediscovers herself in her childhood home following her mother's death. Katie is a very likable character despite the foolish decisions she makes. As far as debut novels go, this is a pretty strong one! The author is clearly well-versed in the history and preservation of the area she has written about, with a background working for National Geographic.

My favorite part of the book was definitely Katie and her friends having their meetings and Bible studies around a bonfire. This is something my family and I actually did during the pandemic as well! It was, however, a bit unrealistic to see just how many people Katie was able to interact freely with maskless during the peak of COVID-19.

My one qualm would be the overall pacing of the book. The synopsis provided for the book encapsulates the storyline for the first 60-70% of the book. Everything just felt like it appeared and then was resolved too easily. At no point did I feel that Katie was facing a true struggle because I knew it would get resolved in the next few pages. This is just a small detail that I believe the author will learn and improve upon as she continues to hone her novel writing style in her upcoming books in this series.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me access to a free audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

The title of this book caught my attention and the cover looks so beautifully idyllic. I wanted to be transported into the world of a cosy read and that’s exactly what I got. However, not only that, it was an entertaining storyline with likeable characters. It shares great friendships and outcomes that filled my heart with joy. I listened to the audiobook and found it well narrated and very enjoyable.

I give this book 3.5 stars and would recommend it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and all involved in allowing me an ARC copy for an honest review.

Carolyn McBride - The Cicada Spring.

Audio Review.

In the blurb, this book is described as being a ‘coming of middle age’ story. I love this description and it very succinctly sums up the feel of the book.

Katie and her group of friends have all been through their troubles in life
When Katie’s mother dies, her legacy could provide a fresh start for more than just Katie herself.

Set largely over the period of the covid pandemic, this is a sensitively written reminder of the times that we all went through in the not too distant past.

This is a tale of love and friendship, the strength of women and of holding onto hope no matter what.

I loved this book. The characters and the setting captivated me. A poignant read, moving and uplifting.

Fabulous audio narration by Maria Marquis.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Cicada Spring by Carolyn McBride is the first in the Potomac Shores, series. This wholesome, feel-good novel set in times of Covid is immersed in nature. The story follows the forty-something Katie Young through loss, friendship and love. I read this as an audiobook and while the narrator was good, the story and characters were too tame for my taste. Had I chosen book format, I would have read it much faster and perhaps enjoyed it better. I'd recommend this book to readers looking for gentle content.

Thank you to Negalley, the author and Make Waves Press for allowing me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

The story starts in late 2019 where our protagonist Katie, a forty something single mom moves her only daughter Belle into college. Alone for the first time in her adult life, Katie feels adrift and doesn't know what to do with herself. Spending the evening with her brother Ben, who is briefly in town she ruminates with him about her future without being 'Belle's mom'. Running into JC, an old acquaitance who owns a 75 foot yacht, she accepts his offer of a weekend away running to Key West with the 'I'll stay in the guestroom' line. At the end of the weekend, JC has asked her to marry him. Katie accepts his proposal and also accepts a job offer as a Director in the IT department at a cruise line.

All is not smooth sailing however as Belle takes an instant dislike to JC. Neither Belle, nor Katie's mom attend the wedding. Almost immediately cracks start to show in JC and Katie's marriage and Katie starts to suspect that JC is not what he seems. Katie must make a decision about her future. What will she do?

The events are set against the backdrop of the Pandemic and it brought me right back to the scary days of social distancing, lockdown, work from home and the term 'masking up'. I enjoyed the story on the whole, shaking my head at how quickly Katie jumped in and married JC, swept away on a current of romance only to learn he wasn't what he seemed. I enjoyed the description of the Potomac river and the varied wildlife that inhabits it and particularly enjoyed Katie's crew, the Bonfire Babes (I'm secretly jealous, I want friends like that!). To me this is the perfect beach read and an uplifting story of women helping women. Well done.

This story begins with single mom Katie dropping off her daughter at college. An empty nest is daunting to her, so when she gets a request for a job interview in Florida, she decides to take the leap. While there, she meets a man and their whirlwind romance results in a quick proposal and marriage. The events that follow are a total surprise to Katie and she retreats to her mom's home on the Potomac. It is there that she reflects on her priorities and life choices.

This is a thought-provoking book with some inspiring characters (e.g., her new friend Rhiannon) as well as some dastardly ones (e.g., JC). At times, the story seemed to drag a bit, but after finishing, I'd say I enjoyed it. It really emphasizes the importance of strong friendships and family in one's life. I also enjoyed the additional emphasis on describing the natural setting of Katie's refuge on the Potomac.

Thank you to NetGalley and Make Waves Press for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

“Cicada Spring” by Carolyn McBride and skillfully narrated by Maria Marquis is a charming romance novel that is not only a “second chance” type of novel, but also a third, or fourth, chance. The story opens when Katie falls for a fast-talking guy, promising a world of romance and excitement, after her daughter leaves home to go to college. Ignoring the warnings of her family and friends, she moves to Florida marries the guy, only to find out everything he’d ever told her was a lie. And just when she realizes that her new life isn’t what it seemed, the 2020 pandemic strikes. I loves how Katie’s friends rallied behind her and supported her while she struggled to get her life back on her own terms.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel.

I had a hard time getting into this book for the first four chapters, but around that time, I also started to enjoy the story. I enjoyed this book more than I expected, and I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish it in one day. I enjoyed the journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and growth the FMC went on, and as a product of this journey, she found joy and HEA. It was nice to read a book about the FMC at a later stage of her life. I will recommend this book to my friends for a feel-good summer read.

I really hoping for a central character with more maturity given the target audience. Sadly the 40 something teenager makes every childish mistake and whines when it doesn't work out.