Book: Winter in Full Bloom

Lily Winter's wings are folded so tightly around her daughter that when the empty nest arrives, she feels she can no longer fly. But Lily's lonely, widowed life changes in a heartbeat when she goes to visit a woman who is almost a stranger to her---a woman who also happens to be her mother. During their fiery reunion, her mother reveals a dark family secret that she'd been hiding for decades---Lily has an identical twin sister who was put up for adoption when they were just babies.

Without looking back, Lily---with her fear of flying---boards a jumbo jet and embarks on a quest to find her sister which leads half way around the world to Melbourne, Australia. Befriended by an imprudent Aussie, he might prove to be the key to finding her sister. But her journey becomes a circle that leads her back home to attempt a family reunion and to find the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.

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I never quite feel like the book blurb does a book justice.  In this case, while there is a romance central to the story it's not the story, if you know what I mean.  I feel like Lily's dream is really to find her family, a real family, that has been missing for her entire life due to her mother's treatment of her.  Lily loves her daughter, but since the story is told just after she leaves for college and opens with Lily on the plane to Australia I didn't see the "I don't know what to do with my life" angle was very strong.

But most of this is my critique of the book blurb.  I actually really enjoyed the book.  A little mystery (why was her sister given up for adoption), a little romance (of course!), and a lot of story about a woman and how she chooses to live her life.  These are the kinds of books I thoroughly enjoy, I feel like they should be called Real Life fiction.

I also enjoyed to aspects of the story that were personal to me, that the main character had an identical twin (as my girls are) and that it was set in Melbourne, Australia since I have never been there, but have had a penpal from there since I was 7 years old.  I loved the flavor of the city I got, trying to imagine my friend living there!

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Find your own copy of Winter in Full Bloom or read other bloggers' reviews.


Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She's been a Barnes & Noble "Author of the Month" for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

I received this book from LitFuse in exchange for my fair and honest review.





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