Great story by Penny Walker Veraar. Lots of different emotions played out for me while reading this title. Just a good story that made you wonder what happens next.

I received an electronic ARC from Girl Friday Productions through NetGalley.

I requested this title as soon as I saw the cover, and the interesting title - both of which drew me in right away. Then, I quickly felt a connection with each character. I loved the ending, and truly hope that readers get to follow up with Reagan, Jake, Matthew, Lizzie, and the others.

One thing I did notice was that the information provided by MetGalley at the end said that advance copies would be given to book groups that focus on thrillers. Personally, I wouldn’t call this book a thriller - it was more of women’s fiction title with thriller aspects. At it’s core, this story is about family, and community,

This debut novel by Penny Walker Veraar is riveting and captivating. It’s a story about family dynamics after loss, navigating life as a young widow with a severely disabled child and trying to do the right thing as the only witness to a crime.

Reagan Ramsay has an abundantly full life and manages to traverse through all of her trials and tribulations with grace and patience. As she is grieving the loss of her husband, she is also raising two young children, one of whom has a dual diagnosis of Down Syndrome and autism, working as a teacher, and wanting to be a good citizen by helping law enforcement catch a criminal, but also needing to protect her children. The writer perfectly weaves all of the intricacies of the many storylines without losing the reader to tiny details. You will cheer Reagan on, cry with her, laugh with her and your heart will get broken over and over. It’s a beautiful, well-written and complex story about family love. The book hangover from this one will last awhile.

I give this book 5 stars and look forward to another book by this author.

Owl in the Oak Tree
A Novel
by Penny Walker Veraar
Beautiful Cover and I so enjoyed the book. A wise old owl, a thriller, and families all with issues. Reagan Ramsey is a young widow and has children with special needs. When a drive-by shooter threatens what she knows she must do as a strong woman. It is a very touching, sad show of doing the right things.

I loved the cover of this book and looked forward to reading it - the author didn't disappoint. While I wouldn't consider this a true suspense/thriller novel there were a few twists and turns to keep it interesting. It did seem that, sometimes true to life, there were quite a few instances of disbelief and turns that brought an entire range of emotions. A good story and I appreciate the opportunity to get an advance copy and provide an unbiased review.

A well written book with complex characters. For those people who are looking for a simple story with an uncomplicated plot, this is a perfect find. I appreciate the fact that the author managed to include the character of Lizzie and also portrayed beautifully the nuances of handling a special child and the effects it have on the other members of the family.
Not only the book dealt with lives of people with special children in it, but it also focussed on drug addictions and the consequences.
All the characters are beautifully written and though I enjoyed the read, I found the pace slow in a few places.

This debut novel by Penny Walker Veraar was a fantastic read.
Reagan is newly widowed with 2 children to raise, one of these having Down syndrome and autism.
This book follows the families journey as they find their feet without their father/husband.
Reagan is spectator to a drive-by shooting and must make the hard decision to identify the shooter and put herself/her family at risk, or choose not to and watch as her safe community crumbles.
This book was gripping and heart-felt. It was easy to fall in-love with each character and so easy to stand in Reagan's shoes and to understand how big of a decision it was to make.
It kept you hooked the whole way through and left satisfied with the end result.

Reagan, a mother and teacher is dealing with her new normal, raising two children, Matthew and Lizzie, after her husband's death. Lizzie is a non verbal special needs child with Down's syndrome and autism who needs to be closely monitored.
When Reagan becomes a witness to a drive by shooting, it becomes apparent that her safety and the safety of her children are at risk as she may be able to identify the shooter.
Will her family be safer if she keeps quiet or will she always be looking over her shoulder?
Side story about drugs that tie in with the shooter.
#OwlintheOakTree #NetGalley.

If you like stories with a simple plot and good character development, chances are you will like this book.

Reagan, a teacher in Norwood near Cincinnati, is struggling to cope with life after her husband passes away. She has two kids – Matthew and Lizzie, and Lizzie is a special needs child with Down’s Syndrome and Autism. There is a shooting on the street and Reagan is a witness. After this, Reagan lives constantly under stress and fear for her family, as there are some occurrences which seem like threats. There is another track in the story pertaining to drug dealing and abuse. As expected, the two threads converge at the end.

The character development is very good and you feel for what Reagan goes through. The story is uncomplicated and while the exact particulars of the crime get revealed at the end, it is quite easy to sense the direction the story will take. The pace is quite slow though, and some sections distinctly lack energy and it feels like very little movement.

I liked the story for its simplicity and honesty though.

My rating: 3.5 / 5.

Mother's Dilemma

Reagan is a mother of two and a school teacher. She just lost her husband Scott to Cancer. The family has been struggling to deal with his death. She has been doing well considering she has a young daughter with down's syndrome and autism. Her son Matthew is a big help but he is only nine.

One day Reagan goes out with the girls from the office for drinks and feeling guilty about leaving Lizzie she leaves early. As she is going to her car she witnesses a shooting and stares at the gunman before he almost shoots her. Now she can identify him.

If she identifies the shooter her children are in danger, she has already been warned. If she does not than crimes take over the neighborhood. What is she to do.

Reagan must confront her feelings and determine what is the right thing to do. As she fears for her safety and that of her children she also fears her nightmares, and how her children are handling the death of their father.

It is a thriller but it is also a story of families, of crime, addiction and the horrors of the drug trade and how it affects neighborhoods. It is a story of how families fight to help their children and do what is right for them.

It was a good book and I am glad I read it.

Thanks to Penny Walker Veraar for writing a great story, to G.G. Publishing for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.