As they say, everything is bigger in Texas. No one seems to capture that big rural charm the way Jodi Thomas does. As with her Honey Creek series, the vulnerability of these rough around the edges characters, drawing a sensitivity and charm from them melts the pages. At the heart and soul of rural Texas, Strawberry Lane begins her new series, Someday Valley.

I really love how this begins the series. If you are a fan and have read the Honey Creek series then you know the heart and soul of those characters make that community. The sense of community and love for looking out for one another brings back a time that we can only reminisce about.

I’ve been anticipating reading this since I found out about it and so fulfilled to begin another wonderful journey. Someday Valley hits the emotions differently than Honey Creek. It really reached deep down and was so engaging. There’s so much to love with this book. What I loved was characters who were saved from being lost, finding friendship and love and how people come into your lives and change the trajectory beyond any expectation of hope or expectation.

Having faith in another day when life presents consistent obstacles, getting the chance for fate to come and showing the possibility of tomorrow and opening your heart to being loved really swept the pages.

The accident that is the catalyst that brings the characters life in the book leads their paths to something that will resonate with those who have experienced similar or pull at your empathy and compassion. They all have experienced loss but they find hope and love amongst each other that makes this a really nice read.

Another wonderful book taking us back to Honey Creek, Tx by way of Someday Valley. We get a little mini glimpse into the next book, The Wild Lavender Bookshop which is set to release in 2024. If you haven’t read the Honey Creek series, I’d recommend checking that out before starting this one. That was such a nice series that blends into this one that I wouldn’t want you to miss anything. If you are a fan, make sure you add this one to your reading list.

Strawberry Lane is a heartwarming read full of drama, friendship, and the beauty of non-traditional family dynamics. The intertwining lives of strangers in a small town create a compelling narrative, with well-written characters whose stories evoke a range of emotions. From long-lost siblings finding each other to individuals coping with loss and forming unexpected bonds, the book explores themes of resilience and community support.

Thank you NetGalley, Jodi Thomas and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read Strawberry Lane.

This is the first book in a new series by Jodi Thomas, Someday Valley. Starri Knight (can you believe that name?) saves Rusty’s life, and forges an unexpected connection and platonic relationship with him - one of the things that I love in this book is the focus on making connections with people that are not necessarily romantic. Starri and Rusty both make somewhat unexpected romantic connections, as well. This book has a focus on family - both unexpected blood relatives, and ‘found’ families. A fun and uplifting read, for sure.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

During a large storm, Starri Knight is looking out and sees a vehicle go off the road and crash. She grabs her adoptive aunt and heads out to see if the driver is ok. As they work to save this man's life, The man, Rusty O'Sullivan, is in bad shape and is taken to the local ER to be put back together. As Rusty is being patched back together, his father, whom he has no idea who he is, dies and leaves Rusty and his siblings an inheritance. Rusty has always been a loner and never known that he has siblings.

The new lawyer in town, Jackson Landry, who is not new to the town, he was born and raised here, returns upon the death of his parents and is tasked with trying to locate Rusty's siblings. As these lives cross paths and forge new friendships and families, it is a testament to the human spirit.

Comfort read - full of drama, friendship, the idea that family doesn't have to be the traditional. Many characters are introduced with there own quirkiness and imperfections. Entertaining story lines for the characters hopefully leading to many new editions to the Someday Valley series - Jodi Thomas's newest series! Fun, clean romantic drama series.

Strawberry Lane by Jodi Thomas is the first book in the Someday series. I loved everything about this book including the title, the gorgeous cover and the characters. Who doesn’t enjoy a small-town romance? A delightful and overall feel-good story.

with thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.

Wow! I love a book that I can read in one sitting.
And not because it was an easy read, but because the author has a wonderful talent for writing many tangents and many characters without it being complicated, and instead it is enticing, intriguing, fun!
I want to live on strawberry Lane!
I have added this author to my list of authors that I will definitely read in the future. I hear there’s a book 2 coming out? 😉 Yay!

Thankyou to Author Jodi Thomas, Netgalley and Kensington Books/Zebra publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Beautiful and heartwarming, STRAWBERRY LANE by Jodi Thomas is a definite feel good novel about finding roots and belonging. Jodi Thomas makes her characters come alive and you feel as if you are living right beside them. It made me want to move to Someday Valley and I don’t really like small towns. One young man called Rusty learns that not only does Someday Valley feel like home, it is to become home to his family, whether related or not. Rusty learns that the heart can accept the love of a special family friend without always seeing tragedy. The mystery, well I’ll let you find out about that on your own. I laughed, I cried, I felt emotions and I did not want STRAWBERRY LANE to end.

The characters in STRAWBERRY LANE are amazing but also flawed. I loved seeing the characters evolve and the small mystery was a nice touch as well. I also love the individual romances that sprout up in STRAWBERRY LANE. Jodi Thomas doesn’t drag a plot line out or fill pages with pointless things. She skillfully weaves multiple story lines into a well paced, engaging story about small town life. Rusty has lived a very hard life. He has a car accident on a rainy night and almost dies. What happens to him after that is life changing and he just needs to believe in himself. He is worthy of feeling love and being content and happy. He just needs to accept that!

STRAWBERRY LANE is written by a woman from west Texas and it comes out in her writing. The local color, the love of the land, and the love of the people all shine through in this beautiful story. If you like small town romances, with a touch of suspense, some humor and great characters, then I highly recommend STRAWBERRY LANE. It’s a book you will pick up and not want to put down and as soon as you finish you will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. Jodi Thomas has one heck of a sense of humor and it really comes through in her writing.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fantastic! A heartwarming and inspiring novel about finding family.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Excellent story with great characters and plot and storyline. I really enjoyed it.

Rusty O'Sullivan has always felt like an outsider. On a stormy evening, he crashes his car on his way home. He's saved by his neighbors, Ona-Mae and the kind-hearted Starri Knight, who take him to their cozy cabin. The town's doctor, alongside his close friend, lawyer Jackson Landry, rush on horseback to tend to Rusty, awaiting the ambulance which is hindered by the blocked road. This accident sparks a chain of events, forging unexpected bonds and changing Rusty's life in unimaginable ways.

"Strawberry Lane" is a touching tale of love, sorrow, joy, despair, and ultimately, victory. It perfectly captures the essence of a heartfelt romance that's both simple and deeply relatable. The story boasts a range of captivating characters, some instantly lovable, while others remain mysterious. Starri is truly enchanting, and Ona-Mae's charisma is infectious. Overall, it's a delightful read that stirs deep emotions.

I read all Jodi Thomas’s books. This is one of her best. Good story & good characters. If you are a fan you will like. If you haven’t read her books you will be a fan.

I received an advanced copy of Strawberry Lane from NetGalley.

I loved this sweet and sometimes a little sad contemporary romance. Anyone who grew up in a small hometown will appreciate the references. There are a lot of characters to keep up with but there’s a reason for each of them and Strawberry Lane is the first book in the series so I’m hoping they will continue to pop up in the sequels. Starri was just a precious character who seems so wide eyed and innocent when compared to Rusty who lands in town to clean up some unresolved family mess.
Their stories come together rather seamlessly and there was just enough drama to keep me interested until the end!
Definitely a recommend.

Strawberry Lane is the first book in a new series and it was an absolutely charming book. The author creates a small-town setting with realistic characters, then weaves multiple stories together to create a comforting, heartwarming and at times, a bit heartbreaking story. Rusty O’Sullivan not only survives a horrible auto accident, but he finds out he’s got siblings from a father he’s never known. Rusty is saved by Starri Knight and her aunt Ona-May along with lawyer Jackson Landry and Dr. Ryan Henton. Slowly all these individuals will become friends to Rusty, and his small existence will grow by leaps and bounds. Also, he finds himself wanting to get to know the intern, Dr. Amber Adams, a little better as well. When one sibling surprisingly shows up in town, he gets to meet his youngest sibling, Zach, who’s in jail for shoplifting. The development of having family that has a similar past as your own, bonds the two brothers to want to be there for the other, and create a family for the first time in their lives. People meeting under unusual circumstances make for some interesting interactions and couples.

The cast of characters that are developed in the story are multifaceted and their growth of them really made this story a page turner. Characters are vulnerable in the beginning but they learn to expand and let people in and become part of a family, or a community. Ms. Thomas is an expert at intertwining storylines that the story becomes rich with emotions and humor. I’m always astounding how fast the story goes by. I’m so glad to be in Someday Valley, and to once again meet new and real lovable characters.

This was a great story. Such a wonderful addition to this series. Once I got started, I couldn’t put it down. But then Jodi Thomas is that kind of author.

I want to thank Jodi Thomas, Netgalley and the publisher the chance to read this book!

I love Jodi Thomas! She never disappoints!!

Strawberry Lane is the first book in the "Someday Valley" series. This book primarily serves as an introductory tool with us meeting a lot of new people who form unique connections amongst each other. In the small town of Someday Valley, the death of a cantankerous old man becomes the catalyst for four complete strangers to form a family.

We meet two of them, Rusty O'Sullivan and Zachary Holmes in this book. Rusty, who has never known a family and always been a loner, suddenly finds himself in the midst of well- wishers, when he meets with an accident. During his recuperation, he is continually pestered by lawyer Jackson Landry and through him he gets to know that the father he had never known had left him and as yet unknown brothers, a sizeable inheritance. Though he refuses the wealth, he employs the lawyer to find out the rest of his brothers.

As luck would have it, one of his brothers Zachary turns up at the police station after a petty crime. With the new people in his life rallying behind him and the support of his new tribe, Rusty gives Zach a home and experiences for the first time the comfort of a family, inspite of the trouble which has followed him. And you have to read the book to know how the two brothers and the people connected to them fare.

Author Thomas has written a sweet story focusing on the relationships of the heart, of people who are at the fringes of the society. Particularly, she has managed to give a lovely insight into the heart of a person who has never known love or affection, through Rusty. However, for all the book's charm, I found myself not able to connect with any of the other characters and it might be because the author hasn't forayed far too deeply into those people's minds. Still, this book is for you if you are into light-hearted character driven stories.

addition to my favorites
This is the first book I've read from this author but it surely won't be the last. The characters are credible and loveable, there are all the elements I love in a book: romance, laughter, mystery - what else could I ask for?
I received this book as a review copy.

This is a good book. This is a story about a town and the people that live there. When the people of the town meet it is amazing how they try to help each other. It is like a family even though they are not kin. It is about people falling in love with each other.

I've read quite a bit of Jodi Thomas, and was looking forward to this one. It wasn't my favorite. It felt rushed. There were too many characters, and their stories weren't woven together like they usually are in a small town romance novel. The writing felt forced. The stories were just OK. The characters were good, but a bit unbelievable. The romance was there, but again it didn't feel quite right.

I will read the next one, and see if it gets better for me. The ingredients were there they just weren't mixed together quite right.

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley.