This book was provided to me for free by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was a solid read for me. I am quite pleased to say that it exceeded my expectations.
We follow the story of Naomi; she is Japanese, but her father is American and not in the picture. We soon discover the hard life she is living and the traumatic childhood she’s had due to some unfortunate events that I wish were given more voice here, and we had more of a backstory. It is no surprise that the author was able to depict such a truthful characterisation as she is married to a Japanese man and has lived in Japan for many years now.

I absolutely adored Ashley, Marvilla, Jason and Naomi’s grandmother. Those people were portrayed amazingly. Naomi, I have been waiting for her to grow a backbone since the beginning of this book, I really was praying she would just explode at some point and stand up for herself. Again, I did like her character as well, but she felt a bit bland and quite generic.

There were some topics that were touched and left abruptly, and I hoped they would be explored more. The “mystery” bits kind of came out of nowhere I think it was just to spice things up, and that otherwise would have been quite the boring book. It was quite predictable in fact, I guessed pretty much everything, with a few exceptions. But again, I hoped there was more to it because the ending felt rushed and chopped. It definitely felt like a lot of drama was going on just like in Dallas which is even mentioned in the book at some point haha I can see where the author got some inspiration from.

Regardless, this was a book of self-discovery, newfound family, love, tradition, betrayal and forgiveness.
The writing style was approachable, easy to follow and engaging. I very much enjoyed the integration and representation of the Japanese culture, the food, and customs.

Overall this book received 4 stars, had it explored some topics more in-depth I think it would have been a 5-star read for me.
I definitely recommend it.

Heartwarming,feel good story with some surprising twists. A set of interesting characters and an involving story.

What a sweet and charming story! It’s so nice to read a book from cover to cover and just zip through it without hunting for deeper meaning. It’s the kind of book to curl up with when you need a break from your daily grind and a diversion from reality.

Essentially, Finding Naomi is a romance but since it takes place in Japan as well as Nebraska, USA it is also of multicultural interest. And just when you think you know where it’s heading, the author inserts a bit of murder and mayhem. There are many twists and turns. Most of it isn’t realistic but that’s part of the charm. The reader can suspend belief, go with the flow and even find a few chuckles between the pages.

Naomi Kihara is being raised in Japan by her mother’s parents, following her mother’s death. Her American dad has disappeared and because of the common name of Mike Johnson, he is very difficult to find. Naomi is going nowhere in a dead end job when she is notified that her father has died and she is the heiress to his estate . There is one big BUT. She must live one year in Felix, Nebraska, a very tiny town filled with people who love to gossip and get into each others’ business.

The characters are rather black and white and most of the story is predictable with the usual heroes and villains. Yet I found them quite endearing and at times interesting. The plot drew me in and I wasn’t disappointed at the end. Three and a half rounded to four lovely stars for a fast paced engaging frolic in small town America. It was published in November 2024 and is available now. My thanks to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for an ARC in exchange for my review.

I love loved this story so much that I couldn't put it down!
This is a story of finding out who you really are and where you belong.
A storyline that will have you in all kinds of emotions!
I thoroughly enjoyed in getting to know Naomi. She's quite the best character in here. At times my heart ached for her.
Finding family and making friends was my favorite part of the story.
I'm still thinking about this book of course. I love learning new things from stories like these.
5 stars for keeping me interested all the way through. I highly recommend this beautiful story.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

This book was ultimately a book about self discovery but it also threw in a little mystery and a love story. It took place mostly in NE, which I enjoyed since I have been visiting that area recently.

"Finding Naomi" is a book a had to read, though I don't usually read romances. The plot description of a woman who moves to Nebraska from Tokyo because of inheriting a large estate is a story I just had to read. Diane Hawley Nagatomo is a skilled writer and the story is a rags to riches kind of fairytale with a character you will root for. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC. Pub Date: Nov 14, 2024.

#FindingNaomi