Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Book Tour, Review and Giveaway: The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate

The Secret of Joy The Secret of Joy by Melissa Senate

My rating:  5.0/5.0

Publisher: Downtown Press
Publish Date: November 17, 2009
Pages:  352



Thanks to Sarah Reidy at Pocket Books for my copy of this book.

The Secret of Joy is a wonderful book - it's funny, touching and a book I'll be thinking about for some time to come.

My Review:

When I started reading this book I was thinking it was chicklit. I received it to be a part of a Pocket Books tour for the title and it's from Downtown Press and by Melissa Senate so I figured it was chicklit.

And maybe it is, but I don't think so - I think it is so much more. It has a twenty-something heroine and she's trying to figure out her life, but there aren't many references to designer clothing (though there are a few designer shoes mentioned). But there is romance and the figuring out her life that Rebecca does seems so much more than it usually is in chicklit (not downing chicklit - I love it). I would almost say this crosses into women's fiction for the younger set.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and therefore I gave it a rating of 5. The storyline is easy to follow yet not predictable. The characters are wonderful. I enjoyed Rebecca and Joy and of course the divorced ladies (and man) of Joy's small town. Theo was completely yummy and I even liked his dog.

Rebecca's efforts to get to know her sister were interesting to watch and they story unfolded beautifully. I was cheering for Joy and Rebecca the whole time.

The characters and storyline of this book will stay with me for awhile and that tells me it was a good book. I will definitely be checking out more of Melissa Senate's work in the future.

About the Book:
When twenty-something New Yorker Rebecca Strand learns (her father's deathbed confession) that she has a twenty-six-year-old half-sister she never knew existed, she can't wait to meet her. With her lawyer boyfriend's protests ringing in her ears ("She's just going to want her share of his million-dollar estate!"), Rebecca drives to a small coastal town in Maine with the 26 letters her father wrote to Joy every year on her birthday. All alone in the world, Rebecca knocks on Joy Jayhawk's door, having no idea what to expect.

Turns out Joy, the separated mother of a little boy (Rebecca has a nephew!), isn't very interested in the "father" who turned his back on her existence from day one–or her "sister." But Rebecca is so determined to establish family bonds with Joy that she doesn't go home . . . and finds herself being welcomed into small life by some very loveable, quirky characters, including a sexy carpenter named Theo . . .
Challenges:
100+ Book Challenge
Fall Into Reading Challenge 2009


GIVEAWAY:

I will giveaway my once read gently used copy of The Secret of Joy to one commenter.  Simply comment on this post and leave your email and you are entered.  Extra entries for tweeting, following me, subscribing will also be added.  Just let me know what you do.  Giveaway will go through 11/30.




49 comments:

apple blossom said...

I have seen this book recently. I'd love to be entered.

Thanks.

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

apple blossom said...

new follower. Thanks

ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

apple blossom said...

New subscriber. Thanks
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

Lady Araujo said...

I'd love to win this book.
I enjoyed you review.

Thanks.
marthanadnny(at)hotmail(dot)com

Lady Araujo said...

I'm a follower.

marthanadnny(at)hotmail(dot)com

mabelilly28 said...

I can't even imagine what would go through my head if I found out I had another sibling!

mabelilly28 at yahoo dot com

mabelilly28 said...

I am a follower!

mabelilly28 at yahoo dot com

mabelilly28 said...

I am an e-mail subscriber!

mabelilly28 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I would love to be entered in your draw. Thanks. wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I am a follower of your blog. wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I subscribe via Google Reader. wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com

Lee P said...

This sounds like a fun book to read! Thank you for this giveaway and please count me in.

chinook92 at gmail dot com

Lee P said...

I subscribe to your blog by Google Reader.

chinook92 at gmail dot com

Lee P said...

I follow you on Twitter as chinook92 and Tweeted:

http://twitter.com/chinook92/status/5829315883

chinook92 at gmail dot com

Debbie F said...

count me in!
Thanks!
dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Debbie F said...

I'm a follower!

dcf_beth at verizon dot net

Teddyree said...

I'd love to read this one, please count me in :-)

I'm a follower
Posted on sidebar of my blog

teddyree[at]optusnet[dot]com[dot]au

Mystica said...

If this is open for overseas readers please count me in.




mystica123athotmaildotcom

mindy said...

this sounds just wonderful thanks minsthins at optonline dot net

scottsgal said...

This is on my TBR list - I'd love to enter

msboatgal at aol.com

Renee G said...

Would love to read this.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(dot)com

Kelly said...

I'd love to read it! I'm always looking for a new author to discover. :)

krtrumpet [at] aol [dot] com

Alicia said...

I would love to read this.

Thanks for the giveaway >^..^<

bloggyig at gmail dot com

Nicole C. said...

I would love to enter!!

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I'm always looking for new chick lit that goes beyond nightclubs and designer clothes.

Nycole
Knycks1@aol.com

Mia J. said...

I would like to be entered to win this. Thanks for the giveaway.

mia at jacobsracing dot com

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the giveaway.
patman1770[at]yahoo[dot]com

Tamara said...

I would love to win this book!

tamintx5 at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I would love to win.

sundaygirl at gmail dot com

Sue said...

You gave it a 5 out of 5, so it MUST be good. Thanks for the giveaway.

s.mickelson at gmail dot com

Debbie Rodgers said...

I'd love to read this!

tatamagouche AT netbundle DOT ca

I subscribe by e-mail, follow in Google reader and follow on twitter (@debbierodgers)

Nicole D. said...

Please enter me. Thank you!
ndz917[at]yahoo[dot]com

Miranda Ward said...

I follow your blog

Ellie Wright said...

Sounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway.
eswright18 at gmail dot com

alitareads said...

Everyone seems to be raving about this book! Please include me in the giveaway.

I'm a follower

alitareads[at]gmail[dot]com

Jan said...

I would love to read this book, please count me in. Thanks!

I am a new follower

alongtheway(at)telus(dot)net

Anita Yancey said...

This is a book I'd really like to read. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Anita Yancey said...

I am an email subscriber!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

~The Book Pixie said...

I would love to win this book! Count me in. :D

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

~The Book Pixie said...

+1 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/thebookpixie/status/6183568529

~Briana

~The Book Pixie said...

+1 Blog follower

~Briana

Anonymous said...

Please enter me :D

thebookvixen at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

tweeted

Anonymous said...

I'm a new follower :D

Marie (MUM) said...

Thanks for this great giveaway!

Marie
utah91960[at]yahoo[dot]com

Marie (MUM) said...

+1 Already Follower

:D

Marie

jennem said...

Thanks for the chance!
Jennifer, jennem22 at yahoo dot com

Nancye said...

I would LOVE to win this book! It looks awesome!

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Veens said...

Sounds like a great read! Please enter me as well.
givingreadingachance AT gmail.com

i m a follower

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