There’s this great line in the Counting Crows song Holiday in Spain: “We could probably fix it if we clean it up all day; Or we could simply pack our bags; And catch a plane to Barcelona 'cause this city's a drag …” I think we all have “catch a plane to Barcelona” days, right? Those days when the place we live seems a little too gritty and gray; the shiny new job, isn’t so brilliant anymore; and everyone we know seems to be moving in a different direction.

Grace McAdams is having that moment in a big way. Her father has never been in the picture, her mother has passed away, and she’s divorced from her best friend, turned husband who also just happens to be her business partner. Left with no family and her ex’s announcement of engagement, Grace responds to a letter from someone claiming to be be her great aunt by packing her bags, catching a plane to the Florida Keys, and leaving it all behind.

Here’s what I loved about Phoebe Fox’s A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE:

(1) I think really great fiction takes something that we’ve all felt and pushes it somewhere most of us would never take it. Sure, we’ve all wanted to jump on a plane and leave our worries behind-- but we probably haven’t (at least not without a couple weeks of planning, and putting in vacation time, putting the mail on hold, etc.). But Grace does. And here’s what Fox does masterfully, she gives the reader just enough realism to help them suspend disbelief. Grace has substantial savings, and a very qualified assistant at work. She also has major second thoughts and regrets on the plane, and tries to back out multiple times. Which is perfect, and human, and keeps us rooting for everything to be okay instead of rolling our eyes and thinking no one would ever do this in real life.

(2) A hallmark of women’s fiction is that it focuses on a woman’s personal journey, with a love story (if there is one at all) playing a role in her growth but not being the focus of the story. A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE might be one of the best examples of this that I’ve read in a long time. There’s this lovely awkward flirtation/blossoming relationship between Grace and Jason (who she meets while visiting her great aunt). It gives a lot of light and humor to the story, and helps Grace in understanding that she can find love again, but it in no way overshadows her personal journey.

(3) Grace’s great-aunt Millie was probably my favorite thing about the book. She’s this amazing, larger-than-life, yet entirely believable character. She fills in all the missing pieces of Grace’s family history, including some very somber parts. In doing so she helps Grace make peace with and accept her own anger about how far off track she feels like her life has gotten, as well as about the darkness in her family history. Millie delivers a strong message about forgiveness of self and others, as well as channeling anger into positive forward momentum.

It’s this last bit, about how we can channel the negative into positive progress that makes A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE an important read, right now. In so many ways this book is a call to action for showing each other a little more unconditional positive regard, for listening more than we talk, and for forgiveness-- it just happens to come packaged with a whole lot of humor. And grace.

A Little Bit of Grace by Phoebe Fox is an entertaining book about Grace McAdams discovering herself and finding her way again. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. At times this book made me emotional, but isn't that a sign of a good book? I highly recommend this book.


I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this new novel by Phoebe Fox. A story of affirmation, letting go of the past, a secret that ripped a family apart, a lack of understanding and new beginnings.

Grace McAdams is grieving with the loss of her mom and also her marriage to her childhood best friend Brian. Finding it difficult facing Brian every day at work and at home an opportune postcard gives Grace hope to escape her woes. The postcard depicts an idyllic coastal setting of paradise qualities. The sender of the card is a mystery to Grace but claims to be a long lost relative of hers, Great Aunt Millie kindly opens her home to Grace to start a journey of self-discovery about herself and her family.

Millie turns out to be a vivacious elderly lady with a heart full of gold helping friends, residents of the isle with their own confidence issues, life changes and all round love guru. Millie's character is so warming, she is bright, bubbly, kind and thoughtful with a fabulous unique personality.

The story is very heart warming and has some lovely moments of humour. However, through all the humour there is a serious side to the storyline. The author approaches a sensitive subject with such empathy and grace.

A story of secrets, a story of family upheaval, a story of letting go of the past and opening your heart and soul to new opportunities.

No review. It did not interest me enough to complete the book

I read this in one sitting it was so good. Grace made me laugh, cry, and even stomp my feet. Just when she was about to chuck it all and never leave her house again after temporarily losing her sanity and thoroughly embarrassed herself, she finds a postcard in the neglected stack of mail. 

Someone from her mother's past? A relative? The mystery could not have unraveled soon enough. Throwing a few things in a bag, she heads to Florida to meet this mysterious relative.

From Grace to Millie to Bridget to just about everyone in this book these were some of the best characters I've read in a long time. A wonderful beginning I hope to more.

This beautiful story about families, time, secrets and acceptance and who we really are when we are honest with ourselves. I loved every bit of this story. A very rarely given 5 Stars!

Netgalley/Henery Press     January 23,2018

A delightful read with characters you will wish were your own family.

Predictable Grace McAdams’ world stopped the day Brian, her best friend/business partner/ex-husband, showed up at her house with his former college girlfriend saying she was moving in with him and dropping the bomb about her being pregnant. Grace was still in love with Brian and did not take the news well. Let’s just say Grace lost it. Brian saw a side of her that he had never seen.

Grace’s life gets a pick up when she finds out she has a great aunt who lives in Cypress Key, Florida, and she goes to meet her. Grace is hoping the much needed vacation and a change of scenery will help her get her life back on track. Grace also wanted to find out why her family kept Millie a secret. When Grave finds out the truth, it only brings the two women even closer. Spending time with Millie teaches Grace to live life to its fullest and to be a strong positive woman. But when Grace meets Jason and gets to know him, he just might be the one who changes Grace’s world for good.

I was not ready for this book to end. The characters really grew on me and I was always anxious to see what Grace and Millie would end up doing next. Some of my favorite scenes were the wedding, shopping and makeover session. The entire book was easy to read and visualize each scene. I think we can all use an Aunt Millie in our lives to help us learn to live again.

Grace's mother has died and her former best friend, business partner and husband has dropped a bombshell by presenting his current girl friend to her. She receives a postcard, addressed to her mother, from a relative Grace did not know existed. Grace decides to go visit her newly found Aunt Millie in Florida. Thus begins a compelling, often funny, and delightful tale about love and family.

This is the first book that I've read by Phoebe Fox, but it definitely won't be my last. I was absolutely blown away by this book. It left me with such an amazing book hangover.

When Grace's ex husband, and business partner, Brian, wants to sit down and have a real conversation, she gets her hopes up and thinks that they might have a chance again. Only Grace gets introduced to Brian's pregnant girlfriend. Grace wasn't able to get pregnant during their 10 year marriage and Brian took it very hard, shortly after that, their marriage ended. Only the girlfriend is the same girl from their college years, proving that Brian never put Grace first.

When Grace receives a letter intended for her recently deceased Mother from a relative in Florida, Grace calls the sender to inquire more information. The next thing she knows, she has a great aunt and is invited to come to Cypress Key, Florida. She hops on the next flight out of Missouri and runs to her new found family. After her Mom died, she had no family anymore. Brian walked away and she buried herself in work. Her ex is shocked that she just left town without a word to him; but that is his new reality now.

When Grace meets her Aunt Millie, her life changes in many ways. Millie is a free spirit who traveled the world, just like Grace had wanted to do her whole life. She does a makeover on her niece, gets her out of her boring business suits and unflattering clothes and they discover a new, confident Grace lying dormant.

When Millie finally tells the "whole" story as to why her Mom and Aunt had their fallout, the anger that Grace has suppressed for years finally comes to the surface. Millie treats her as her own, helping her deal with the anger, just like Millie had to do 50 years ago. When her week long vacation is over, Grace doesn't want to leave. She comes to terms that staying in Missouri would never make her happy, and she plans on doing something about it.

Brian can't get over the changes in her, she realizes that they aren't friends anymore and tries to move onward. But her heart and her family is now in Florida, and she wants to be there.

This story was amazing. I definitely recommend reading it.

A Little Bit of Grace is well written with a great plot. I enjoyed this author's writing and look forward to reading more of her work.

I am a huge fan of Phoebe Fox's books and I was really excited to read her latest.

The story started out slowly but then it kicked in and I loved it! Grace is an attorney in partnership with her ex-husband and lifelong friend. When Brian brings home a pregnant girlfriend, Grace loses it as she hasn't been able to get past her failed marriage.

About that time she receives a postcard in the mail addressed to her recently passed mother signed "M". Almost without thinking, Grace is on s plane to Florida to stay with her aunt Millie, a relative she never even knew existed.

This book has colorful characters and a great storyline and I remain one of Phoebe Fox's biggest fans.

Place: Sugarberry, Missouri and Cyress Key, Florida

People: Grace McAdams, an attorney specializing in estate planning. Brian - Grace's best friend, business partner, and ex-husband. Millie - the great aunt Grace never knew.

Plot: Grace has always placed the highest priority on family. After her father left her and her mother, Grace was even more dedicated to the only family she had left. For years, Grace was in love with Brian in secret; when he proposed, the thought her dreams had come true. But the life of that dream was very short. After learning that they couldn't have children, Grace and Brian's marriage crumbled and fell apart. Shortly after that, Grace's mother gets ill and Grace dedicates herself to her care. When her mother dies, Grace feels as though she has lost everything. And then a postcard arrives addressed to her mother from a stranger claiming to be family and seeming to have answers to the questions Grace never even realized she had.

Pacing: Steady

Predictability: n/a

Perspective: This book means a lot to me. I see a lot of myself in the character of Grace - and it was an emotional read for me in a lot of ways. There is so much heart in the book - there's a lot of pain and heartbreak, but so much warmth and truth and healing, too. It's hard for me to express my full appreciation of A Little Bit of Grace without gushing and sharing too much. So I won't go on and try. Suffice it to say that this will be a book that will remain close to my heart for a long time to come.

FAMILY IS EVERYTHING!

FAMILY IS EVERYTHING!

Grace McAdams’ Mother always told her, “Family is everything.” Those were words she treasured all her life. She had no idea how those three words would one day completely transform her life. In the midst of the biggest challenge of her life, Grace discovers a Postcard addressed to her Mother. Grace soon discovers she has an Aunt she didn’t know existed. She decides to take a leap way out of her comfort zone and visit her newly discovered Aunt. Aunt Millie proves to be larger than life and the catalyst Grace needs to get her own life back on track. Fox’s characters are complex, vivid and endearing. Fox has woven a beautiful story proving that no matter how great the challenges, Family is Everything! I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Henery Press. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

I loved this story- it is about childhood dreams and family obligations. Lots of surprises and a lesson in acceptance. A great chic read for the beach or a rainy day.

Well written moving story

I've always enjoyed reading Phoebe Fox but this book was something very special.
Grace is a wonderfully developed character. I loved having a front row seat as she faces past and current hurts and grows stronger and more sure of herself as a women. Her interaction with her newly discovered Aunt Millie were so heartfelt and real. This was an exceptional read. So much more than I expected. I highly recommend this book
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Really enjoyed reading this book.
Grace, recently divorced but still working with her ex husband, receivesa post card addressed to her late mother from anul unknown relative.
Uncharacteristically, she jets off to Florida to stay with them and the story unfolds from there. The book is family orientated and I found it a moving read.

What a nice surprise this book turned out to be. I'm not sure what I was expecting initially - overly romantic maybe, but whilst there was a touch of romance, this book was more about Grace's emotional journey / recovery. We meet her whilst she's still grieving over the death of her mother, and she still hasn't accepted her divorce from her childhood sweetheart. When Grace discovers an older relative she never knew she had and goes to Florida to meet her, we also learn about her aunt's back story, which adds an extra dimension to the book. The vivid descriptions of the island where her aunt lives are well written. I wondered how the book was going to end and it didn't disappoint.

This was free to me from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable heartwarming, and funny at times read. I was honestly sorry when I finished it. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Skillful, colorful, descriptive writing that created vivid characters, scenery and emotionally charged situations.

Grace Adams & Brian McHale grew up 3 doors apart with their futures preordained when their great-grandfathers established an estate planning law firm together. Not everything has worked out between Grace & Brian. Coming to terms with the reality of this sends Grace to Florida to discover a great-aunt she has never heard of.

I could smell the ocean breezes, feel Grace's pain in her life losses. This book is so well written I didn't want it to end.

A Little Bit of Grace is an enjoyable, light read. This book tells the story of Grace as she finds a long-lost relative who then helps her find herself. While this book is certainly predictable, it is also very timely and addresses some important issues about being true to oneself and the importance of family. I cannot wait to read more by this author!