Hurricane Season by Lauren Denton.  I struggIed to finish this book but only made it half way. I found it to be surface reading. No depth to characters. You may get a tidbit but then no follow up information.  There should have been more interaction description with the kids and their Aunt and Uncle. Miscommunication with the phones wasn't believable to me. The landline was always available just not used by character. Thanks Net Galley for the chance to read this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


This is the second book I have read by Ms Denton and I must say I like her writing style. Some of it may be that she sets her books in Alabama and I recognize places which makes it a little more enjoyable. In her latest novel she introduces us to two sisters, Jenna and Besty, who could not be more different. Jenna is a single parent to two little girls, Addie and Walsh. She works as a manager of a coffee shop and struggles to make ends meet. She has given up on her dreams. Betsy is married to Ty and they own a dairy farm that has been in Ty's family for years. The work is hard but they both enjoy it. Betsy has developed a program to introduce children to a working dairy farm. Then Jenna gets an opportunity of a lifetime, study photography at an art retreat for the summer. So she does the only thing she can think of and leaves her daughters with their aunt. During this time the three main characters struggle with their own internal hurricane and a real cat 4 hurricane is bearing down on the coast. Read this book to see how well they weather their storms.

Hurricane Season is an emotional and thought provoking read...one about choices and the consequences of those decisions. Betsy Franklin and her younger sister, Jenna Sawyer, had parents who were very devoted to their careers and sometimes it didn't leave time for the children. They grew up in Birmingham, Alabama where their mother was a doctor working with a cancer center and the father was a composer and conductor of the symphony. The girls coped with the situation in different ways. Betsy was an overachiever trying to gain attention and Jenna rebelled and was the trouble maker. Betsy is the oldest and always took care of Jenna. Now as adults, Jenna is living in Nashville, the single mother of two little girls. She struggles to make ends meet but loves her girls dearly. She ran off to chase her dreams before she finished college so she works in a coffee shop. Her lifelong love has always been photography. When she gets an opportunity to go to a photography retreat in Florida, she calls on Betsy to keep the girls. Betsy ditched her marketing dreams to marry a dairy farmer in south Alabama. She and Ty have not been able to make one dream come true--that of having a child. But she can't say no to Jenna. This time of having the girls on the farm is trying but rewarding to Betsy and Ty. It is a time for Jenna to pursue a dream that she feels is something that she has to do for herself and the girls. Both sisters are carrying around unresolved issues that they need to address for themselves, each other and their families. This book evoked different emotions in me. I felt sadness for the sisters, the girls and even Ty. I also wanted to fuss at Betsy and Jenna at times. Overall, I recommend this book for a satisfying and sweet read. I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida so I could relate to what they went through with hurricane season.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a mesmerizing story of Betsy and Ty Franklin who own Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama. It’s twenty miles north of the beautiful white sandy beaches of Orange Beach, Alabama. Because they live so close to the Gulf of Mexico, they are no strangers to hurricane season. This book is filled with seasons of hurricanes of different types. It deals with a hurricane season of infertility and all the disappointment, hurt, doubts and anxiety that accompany it. There’s a hurricane season of suddenly gaining two very young children as family members when you had very little notice and feel as though you don’t have a clue what to do with them. There’s another hurricane season of being torn wishing the two children would leave as soon as possible and then discovering your heart may be ripped out when they do leave. There’s the hurricane season of deciding to try to have a baby again - can you even let your heart go there? The biggest Hurricane Season of all is the real hurricane that is bearing down on the Franklin Dairy Farm in the midst of all these emotional hurricanes! Betsy and Ty learn about their love for each other as well as the strength of their love. I was provided an ARC of this book by Thomas Nelson and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

This book is incredibly well written! I thought that it did a good job of portraying both of the sisters and their different lives and struggles. I loved getting to know the characters and seeing how the story unfolded.

This is the first novel that I have read by Lauren K Denton and I really enjoyed it. It’s centred around two sisters at a crossroads in their lives. Betsy is very happily married to Ty Franklin, a dairy farmer in South Alabama. They have a comfortable life both working in their different ways to improve their farmstead. Although they would like a family of their own, heartbreakingly they have no children. Betsy’s sister is a single parent of two young daughters, struggling to keep within her budget as a coffee shop manager. She loves her children dearly but yearns to provide a better life for her girls.
One day Jenna learns that she has been accepted at The Halcyon art retreat, miles away in Florida. Before her family came along Jenna was a photographer and now here she is with an opportunity to further develop her photographic skills. She asks Betsy if she can babysit her children so that she can accept the placement, starting the very next day. Betsy agrees but with reservations, but then again she can never deny her sister anything. The heart of this gorgeous novel is the story of how the two sisters deal with their unexpected lifestyle swaps and how they both change because of what happens when the girls are away from their Jenna.
As the hurricane season approaches Jenna decides to extend her placement at the retreat to build a comprehensive portfolio with the help of her mentor. She is delighted by what may lay ahead of her, although she misses her daughters. Stormy weather, stormy relationships and indecision wracks both sisters as survival and personal growth become an issue between them, until at last they talk about the situation and are surprised to learn that they were both under misapprehensions about each other. Soon to be reunited with her family, Jenna drives through Hurricane Ingrid, set to cause havoc in Alabama but with a chance it may veer off east towards Florida.
The storytelling in ‘Hurricane Season’ is vivid and beautiful. I could just imagine the picture perfect setting of both the farm and the artist’s retreat. I loved reading about the girls enjoying the freedom and wonder of farm life while they stayed with their aunt and uncle. I also liked the setting of the artist’s retreat and of reading about their journeys of self discovery. Both sisters’ lives were enhanced by their changing roles and through looking at each other from a different point of view. Most of all I loved the satisfying conclusion to this heart-warming story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. It’s a 4.5* review from me and a recommendation that this is an uplifting and enjoyable read.

I wanted to keep readibg! What a warm, Home oriented, family driven novel. It's a hard call to determine what I liked best. I think I enjoyed how warm and open each character were to each other. Book of the year.

Another great book, I loved Hideaway. And have recommended it to numerous people who have also loved it and are anxiously waiting for the release of this book. I was very happy that this book did not disappoint. Lauren K. Denton writes in a way that the characters come alive and you feel like you are in the pages with the characters.

Hurricane Season is a story that centers around two sisters and their struggles from motherhood, marriage and a sisters bond.

Betsy is the oldest of the sisters, she is married to a great man named Ty, and they spend their days working together on their dairy farm. Even through all their business, they have wanted children, but with all the tests and treatments, hasn’t brought them a baby. Over time, it has put a strain on their marriage, and they just walk through each day in a fog. Jenna is the free spirited sister, the mother of two little girls who she is raising by herself, and she gave up her dreams of being a professional photographer. An opportunity comes open for her try again at her dream, and she takes, leaving her kids with Betsy and Ty for a couple of weeks.

The story is told in alternating POV’s from Betsy, Ty and Jenna. I enjoyed getting to more more about them, their feelings and fears. I myself was a teenage mother, so at first I would be able to relate to Jenna, but I had a hard time understanding some of her feelings and actions when it came to her girls. Betsy on the other hand, ended up being the one I most related to. Her struggle to conceive, caring for her nieces while her sister is away in spite of her own sorrow of infertility. Ty her husband, was a good man, and he clearly loved her and he is dealing with infertility just the same. Betsy and Ty needed to learn to communicate better, but sometimes life gets in the way of what we know we should do, and it is sad when it does. So much heartache. Each of these sisters have to work thought their own issues, to be able to find some happiness and there is a strength in each of them, they just had to find it.

The pace of this was fairly slow, but when the hurricane is set to make landfall, the story does pick up the pace, but is a little bit of a rush to get to the end. But, even with that I was alright, a lot happened, and quickly. And this wasn’t necessarily about the hurricane, as much of it was about the family itself, and the character growth in each of them was wonderful and something I thoroughly enjoyed. It wasn’t an easy journey for any of them though, there was plenty of heart ache, tears and heart warming moments along the way too.

Hurricane Season might have been a slow burn, but is packed an inspirational story of family and love, and being a country girl myself, how I could not adore the Southern Alabama setting. Just beautiful.

I loved this story so much. It was beautifully written, and all of the story lines kept me interested. This is a story of finding love again.

This was an interesting read; it had a good pace and I like how it followed the hurricanes, building up to the big one. The story follows two sisters, each who thinks the grass it a bit greener on the other side of the fence. They come to learn that it isn't, but more than that, they come to understand and respect each other, and learn from each other.

HURRICANE SEASON by LAUREN K. DENTON Is the story of two sisters, Betsy Franklin and Jenna Sawyer. Betsy lives on a dairy farm in South Alabama with her husband Ty, and Jenna lives in Nashville with her daughters, Addie and Walsh.
Since they were little, Betsy has always tried to look after the free-spirited Jenna, and we see this being played out in Addie and Walsh's lives as well.
Betsy longs for children of her own, and when Jenna drops her little girls off to go to Halcyon Artist Retreat to pursue her passion for photography, Betsy finds her old struggles returning and her relationship with Ty takes strain.
There is a build up to the hurricane that eventually hits the area. While Ty is preparing for the hurricane, Betsy is trying to make plans for the girls as though they are her own children. It is an emotional story and very well told.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.

This is a cute story and I wanted to love it but it was so superficial. All of the relationships in the book seem sterile. Betsy, Jenna, the kids and Ty are sweet characters but have no real emotional depth. The story is best when describing the relationship between the mother of the sisters. The positive aspects of the book are that it is easy to read and the descriptions of the farm and the Florida wild lands are delightful.

This is a story about two sisters, Jenna and Betsy. Jenna has a single mom of two little girls and her life ahead of her. Betsy is settled on a farm with her husband and has fertility issues. When Jenna decides to take opportunity of a lifetime and leave her girls with Betsy for a few weeks, Betsy gets a glimpse of what it is like to be a mom and how much her life would be different. Jenna, meanwhile, misses her girls but feels that she is learning that she has to take care of herself and achieve the goals she has set for herself. Betsy and Jenna have a few squabbles while Jenna is gone, but upon picking up the girls, they realize that no matter how much life throws at them, they have each other and that's all that matters. The story moves a little slowly but it was difficult to put down. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This book was just ok. I felt it was slow moving and I felt myself skimming parts of the story. I did like each of the sisters and their stories. I received this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Hurricane Season is the second book by storyteller Lauren Denton. Set primarily in the small fictional town of Elinore, Alabama, just north of Gulf Shores, it is the story of sisters Betsy and Jenna during a particular summer. It is a stormy summer, both literally and metaphorically.

Betsy, and her husband Ty, are still reeling from their diagnosis of unexplained infertility. Younger, unmarried sister Jenna is mother to two adorable little girls. Jenna is just scraping by and has shelved her photographer dreams to take care of her girls. But when an unequaled opportunity comes her way to attend the Halcyon artists retreat at Singer Wildlife Refuge in northwest Florida on full scholarship, Jenna knows she must take the chance and ask for her sister’s help. At first, Jenna only plans to attend for two weeks, but when things really begin to click for her the two weeks are almost up.

Her mentor offers her the remaining session to continue her pursuit, build her portfolio, and add to her resume. The girls are doing well on Betsy and Ty’s dairy farm, why shouldn’t she take this opportunity to build a better life for them? When Jenna stays, Betsy becomes more attached to the little ones and the emptiness she has felt begins to fill, but what will happen when they do leave?

This story is set in the backdrop of a steamy southern summer capped when Hurricane Ingrid comes sweeping through. With carefully created characters, Ms. Denton explores relationships, circumstances, and the abiding love of two sisters. I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it.

Storms have this beautiful dual quality, they bring about destruction and they also show the strength in all those who weather them. So also are the storms of life, they change life drastically, but sometimes they also pave the way to start life afresh.
Hurricane Season by Lauren Denton is one such book which shows strength of family relationships in the face of storms of life. Two sisters, Betsy and Jenna both different in their outlook, but yet similar in many ways, Betsy who is childless, is asked to look after her nieces while Jenna attends a photography camp. Betsy and her husband Ty, after going through a lot of tests for fertility issues, are struggling to find a balance in their childless relationship, and with the two girls thrown into the equation, suddenly find themselves managing both the farm and the girls in the face of nature's Hurricane.
My first book by Laura Denton, the chapters are written in all the 3 three main characters' point of view, and it is refreshing to see life through their eyes. The emotions of self-discovery, healing, acceptance, and love for each other is what sustains life and relationships, and this is shown beautifully by Lauren. It is nice to see how the bond between the sisters which was strong growing up, frayed as life moves on, yet somehow manages to reaffirm itself as the chapters flow.
I loved the way the author has used the Hurricane Ingrid as the backdrop for life and its lessons, where each of the characters find their own path to peace and happiness. The chapters flow seamlessly and style of writing makes this an easy read. I just felt that the ending is a wee bit rushed. But the emotions of hope and dreams of a happy future are what remains even after the book ends.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Hurricane Season is a beautifully written story of to sisters. I loved the plot and the characters. Lauren Denton always delivers a great book. I highly recommend this book.

This was my first book by Lauren K. Denton. I have The Hideaway on my kindle but haven't started it yet. This was such an inspiring novel. The characters in this novel seemed to weather their own storms as the story went on and all seemed to come out the other side a little better off. Jenna and Betsy are both strong women that don't see that in themselves but through a challenging 7 weeks both are able to find their strength.

I really enjoyed this book. I think this is going to be a wonderful beach read this summer.....just make sure that a hurricane is not coming to land.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.