Rebecca Kelley

I wasn’t sure I was going to write a post about my TLC book tour. I mean, what if they all hated Broken Homes & Gardens? In that case, I figured I could just quietly fade into the shadows, and no one would be the wiser. Now, I’ll admit that at least five reviewers claimed they wanted to slap, shake, or otherwise harm my protagonist. But wanting to inflict bodily harm on a fictional character is a good thing, right? Working my readers up into a fit of violence is certainly preferable to boring them into a coma. That’s what I tell myself, anyway.

Image by Allen Lal

Now that the tour has ended, I can confidently share the results. Fifteen bloggers took the time to read my book and write up thoughtful, funny reviews. I highlighted a favorite quotation from each one:

Monday, August 17th: Open Book Society

The story really does prove that your childhood can affect your adult decisions.

Monday, August 24th: Thoughts from an Evil Overlord

I highly recommend Broken Homes and Gardens to fans of thoughtful women’s fiction.

Wednesday, August 26th: Chick Lit Central

Rebecca Kelley is so incredibly descriptive, I felt like I was sitting right there with her, during the drizzly rains and evergreen landscapes. It’s that descriptive quality that brought forth Joanna and Malcolm, two characters who you immediately become attached to. So much so, you don’t want to stop reading, wanting to know where their journey takes them.

Thursday, August 27th:  Palmer’s Page Turners

I love reading books by authors of from my home state!  The book was fun to read since the majority of it was set in Portland, OR. It was clear the author new the city well, which strengthened the book.

Monday, August 31st: Diary of a Stay At Home Mom

I have to say that at times I wanted to reach through the book and shake Joanna, she got a little tiring with the push and pull, but overall it was a sweet, lighthearted story that I truly enjoyed.

Wednesday, September 2nd: Bookmark Lit

The whole book had that kind of dreamy I-wish-my-life-was-like-that way. I don’t know how to explain it, but I think this would be a wonderful rom com movie.

Thursday, September 3rd: Bibliotica

Rebecca Kelley manages to balance poignance and absurdity, heartbreak and hopefulness in a way that never feels overly crafted, just well written.

Monday, September 7th: girlichef

I loved the fact that the characters in this book are flawed, like every real person alive. They try new things and make wrong choices, and sometimes realize too late what the right choices should have been.

Tuesday, September 8th: A Chick Who Reads

I liked her crazy relationship with Malcolm really was really what this story was all about and they really seem to belong together, even though both of them seemed to do everything to prevent it from happening.

Tuesday, September 8th: Patricia’s Wisdom

Broken Homes and Gardens is one of the nicest love stories I have read in a long time.  I am not sure if it is because the timing was just right, or if this good read was just the refreshing amount of quirky, definitely west coast, or exactly why, but I just so enjoyed reading this first novel by Ms. Kelley.

Wednesday, September 9th: Bewitched Bookworms

The winding story of English teacher Joanne and carpenter Malcolm’s friendship/relationship is an entertaining and quite gripping one, and I certainly was engaged enough to read this book within a few sittings since I couldn’t put it down.

Thursday, September 10th: Book Dilettante

A modern romance, for the Millennial generation.

Friday, September 11th: From L.A. to LA

Joanna so perfectly captures the person you know with so much potential, yet unable to figure out exactly what they want or how to get there.

Wednesday, September 16th: Luxury Reading

As I read this story, I felt drawn in by the imperfect characters that felt so ordinary and real. Their struggles, hopes and dreams reflect those of many young adults trying to find their way in the world. And their approach to relationships felt like a commentary on the culture. In a society where marriages frequently end in divorces, individuals are left unsure whether marriage is a step they want to consider at all. Freedom becomes valued over commitment and the fallout in people’s lives often cannot be easily captured.

Thursday, September 17th: Book Mama Blog

What I love about this book is that the characters are perfectly flawed.  Both in their twenties, they want to be in relationships but don’t seem to have the proper tools to get there.  Full of funny, and at times cringe worthy moments, the author takes us on their romantic journey that for every step forward, there are two steps back.

To TLC Book Tours, all the bloggers listed above, and all my readers—thank you! I will give Joanna a nice firm shake in your honor.