Beach Read – Allie*Katz*Korner

The Bright Side of Disaster is the second book by Katherine Center that I’ve read and it was a cute, enjoyable read. There wasn’t a lot of depth but it was a feel good story that made me chuckle more than once. We meet Jenny Harris who is pregnant, engaged and happy when suddenly she shockingly finds herself alone and on the brink of single motherhood. The book follows her struggles in the months that follow and finding her way back to happiness and perhaps a better life than she could have imagined.

I find that this author has a penchant for making me chuckle or laugh quite out of the blue! I’m often minding my own business, quietly reading along and .. boom.. guffawing out loud!

For example, re: Dr. Blandon, the fat cat:

“”I snuck him out to the park last week,” Meredith said. “He likes it.”

I looked at Dr. Blandon. He looked at me.

“No, he doesn’t,” I said.

I left Dr. Blandon licking his belly fur on the sofa, hoping that Dean wouldn’t notice him right away. But Dean did notice him – as soon as he came to bed. He woke me at around three in the morning saying “Why is there a raccoon sleeping on your face?””

Sometimes it is subtle or dry humor, but it gets me every time. What can I say? I enjoy it. I enjoy her stories. They lighten my mood and just make me happy, and I close the book with a smile on my face. How can you beat it really? 4 STARS 🙂

Beautiful Day was my first Elin Hilderbrand book and I wasn’t disappointed, not by a long shot! I breezed through it in 3 days and enjoyed it thoroughly. The story is about a family who gather together for the youngest daughter’s wedding in Nantucket. What makes this wedding a little different is that their mother passed away a few years ago but she left a notebook for her youngest daughter filled with instructions/suggestions for her future wedding.

This book reminded me of a wedding movie as I read it.. you know the kind of movie where the family all comes together from leading their separate lives, each with their own problems and drama and somehow try to make it work in the end for the sake of the bride and groom.

The setting was lovely and I was swept away in the beauty of Nantucket. I enjoyed getting to know each character and found their stories interesting. Margot had me rooting for her through every curveball thrown at her, though I was irked at her siblings for leaving so much up to her and expecting her to handle it all! I related to Jenna, the bride, the unplanned baby of the family (so was I!), and the one who was left behind when her much older siblings became adults and moved out and on with their lives. She wasn’t a main character but there were some tearful, sweet moments hearing her story. The only character I found a little unbelievable was Ann. The choices she made throughout the story didn’t make much sense to me and I admit I rolled my eyes more than once.

Last but not least, the notebook… a sweet idea right? In theory, yes! And I liked the premise when I began the book. Beth, their dear mom, most definitely did make her presence known throughout the wedding.. but I’m not sure what happened because at some point it became a tad bit overbearing more than sweet and I hate to say that because overall I truly liked the book! Ah well!

Overall, I did enjoy this story and I am now a fan of Elin Hilderbrand. I will most certainly be reading more of her work in the future! Check it out if you are looking for a light and fun read! 4 STARS! 🙂

Category: Beach Read

Book Review ~ The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center

Book Review ~ Beautiful Day by Elin Hilderbrand