Nice story about the paths we choose and what we're willing to do to get on track and/or stay on track. Good plot, nicely written but not a story I'll likely remember in a month.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5

Tissues, tissues, and more tissues! You will need to have tissues by your side as you read A Year of Extraordinary Moments by Bette Lee Crosby.

What it's about: Book 2 of the Magnolia Grove series focuses more on the life of Dominic, Lucas' father and Tracy's baby daddy/ex. Tracy Briggs finally has her life together - Lucas is going to a good school that helps with his hearing, she is managing the Snip 'n Save and finding her life's passion helping out at Lucas' school, plus she has a love interest. When Dominic shows up trying to reenter their lives, Tracy must decide between her possible future, and the life she left behind.

It sounds like it's more about Tracy, but there are quite a few chapters that focus on Dominic which was really nice. He really is a terrible person, but it was interesting to see how things were going through his head and just how self-entitled he thought he was. The novel also has a large chunk about his grandmother Alice, and she is one of the characters that really made this book for me.

Tracy, Meghan, and Lila are all as sweet as ever, and I don't think I will ever tire of hearing their stories or about the small Southern town of Magnolia Grove. There was so much heart in this novel (maybe even more than the first book), and plenty of great missives and thoughts about life. A Year of Extraordinary Moments is packed with serious topics, and once again the author made me cry like a baby.

"... but life is so much more complicated than we realize. It's not one long stretch of time that starts on the day you're born and ends on the day you die; it's a collection of meaningful moments with spots of happiness and sorrow in between."

Final Thought: I really love Bette Lee Crosby as an author, and that is just after reading the 2 Magnolia Grove novels. There is just something about her writing that hits me right in the heart, and her characters (most of them anyway) are positively endearing. If you haven't checked this series out yet I highly recommend doing so. They should be read in order so as not to not spoil anything and get the full picture of what is going on. There are only the 2 right now and the writing flows so well that these books can be read in a day if you want to. I definitely can't wait to see more of these characters if she chooses to further the series!

GRIPPING!

A Year of Extraordinary Moments (Magnolia Grove #2) by Bette Lee Crosby is is gripping! This book may be read as a stand alone, but to be best understood, it needs to be read in order in the Magnolia Grove Series. Crosby is masterful in crafting stories that deal with families and peeling back all the layers and finding the backstory that’s not obvious at first glance. That’s particularly true of this novel. Her characters are realistic, complex and lovable. The relationships between the characters are easy to understand because they are the types many experience within their own families - responsible children, irresponsible children who turn out all right & those children that just won’t get their lives together regardless of how old they are. Crosby also includes characters from a toddler to senior adults and they all play significant roles and she shows the importance of cross-generational relationships. She shows the wisdom of the oldest being passed down to the youngest. One of my favorite parts of this novel is when an old hidden Bucket List is used to bring about freedom to two generations of a family. Crosby peels back all the layers - and reveals how the older generation teaches the younger - often when neither has a clue the “teaching” is actually taking place - as it should be. I was provided an ARC of this novel by Lake Union Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence. I have preordered a copy for my own personal library.

This is the second book in the Magnolia Grove series and I recommend that you read the first book Summer of New Beginnings first to get the background on the Briggs family. (It's a fabulous read.)

The Briggs family had a difficult summer two years ago, but their lives are settling in. Meghan is happily married to Tom, the veterinarian and is working as a veterinary technician in his office. Tracy is running their father’s coupon magazine and her son Lucas has been attending the school for hearing impaired. Lucas has recently had successful cochlear implant surgery and he can now hear the world around him. And Tracy has found love with the founder of the school..

It's good to see a book that treats hearing impairment as a fact of life but not a tragedy. Lucas acts as any child his age would, and the family doesn’t pamper him or excuse his behavior.

Then Dominic DeLuca, Lucas’ biological father and all-around scumbag, returns to Magnolia Grove. He’s broke and angry (nothing new on either condition). His grandmother Anne has reached out to Tracy and become part of the Briggs family, getting to know her great-grandson. Dominic claims he wants to know his son, but, in typical fashion, he continues to manipulate, lie, steal and cheat.

Bette Lee Crosby leads the family on an emotional roller coaster but with a satisfying resolution to all issues. I read the book in two days (I have a long commute by train, that helps, but I kept putting the book down, only to pick it up almost immediately.)

Picking up and reading A Year of Extraordinary Moments was like going back to my old neighborhood and visiting again with my dear, dear friends. I was able to pick up with their lives just like I had never left them. That's what I love about Bette's books—her characters are so memorable that they stay with me and I think about them long after I've finished the book.

This book, #2 in the Magnolia series, focuses on Tracy, an unwed mother with a beautiful son who is loved by everyone who meets him. After a wild start to her life, Tracy seems to be settling down and making good decisions, all because of the love she has for her son. But when her son's father comes back into town looking to reconcile, Tracy's life starts spinning out of control again. How is she going to be able to choose the right path to take?

Bette's stories are always such gentle and loving stories and are always full of wonderful bits of wisdom that can apply to almost everyone in their everyday lives. I always learn so much about how to live life and always come away with a positive outlook about things when I finish one of her books. I highly recommend that you read A Year of Extraordinary Moments and I know you'll love this series as much as I do.

Bette, an extraordinary woman and writer, has penned yet another extraordinary tale!

When Alice DeLuca phoned her grandson Dominic to let him know the cancer was back, he was shocked. But it was her request that he return to Magnolia Grove to spend time with her before she passed that frustrated him. Tossing in his job at the bar and heading to the one place he had vowed never to return to, Dominic decided that once his grandma passed, he would be shot of Magnolia Grove. He guessed he could wait that long.

Tracy Briggs and her five-year-old son Lucas were finally happy in their lives. Tracy’s joy at Lucas’ advancement in his hearing-impaired life, now that he had the cochlear implant, was infectious. Her sister Meghan and husband Tom had been married for two years and settled into Tom’s veterinary practice, while Tracy and Lucas lived with her mother Lila. But when an elderly lady appeared at Lila’s door wanting to see Tracy, she had no idea how her life would change. There would be trouble on the horizon, but there would be extraordinary moments as well.

A Year of Extraordinary Moments by Bette Lee Crosby is the 2nd in the Magnolia Grove series, and a delightful addition to the first. Most of the characters were extremely likeable, but there was one who was not. Dominic was the worst kind of loser and the biggest kind of troublemaker and I really had to grit my teeth when I read his story. He certainly didn’t deserve the sweet old lady who was his grandma. A Year of Extraordinary Moments is a read I have no problem recommending.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

A Year of Extraordinary Moments by Bette Lee Crosby

An amazing book about family, love and relationships. Bette Lee Crosby has endowed her characters with strengths and weaknesses that make you either love them or feel sorry for them.

This book builds on the importance of family and the love and strength family offers. It shows that strong relationships can be built even if on shaky ground to start. How personal growth and strength can occur without one being fully aware.

This is a well written book about everyday people who face some extraordinary moments in their lives. The characters are real and relatable that I have to say I felt something for everyone; whether it was joy or sadness, love or disdain. I felt a mother’s pride, a mother’s fierceness and a grandmother’s love

If you enjoy women’s fiction, family drama and just a really enjoyable read this one is for you.

Thank you to #Netgalley an #Lake Union Publishing for approving my request. The opinions in this review are my own.

This story picks up where the summer of new beginnings ends, fast forward Meghan & Tom are married and Meghan got her veterinarian tech license so her and Tom are working side by side. Tracey is still running snip n save and having trouble letting go of ghosts of the past so she can move on into the future. Lucas is thriving at Gabriel’s school for the deaf and Gabriel is patiently waiting for Tracey. Lila is moving forward crossing items off of George’s bucket list he as he watches from heaven. This has been a year of discovery of love lost and love found. Wrongs made right, deceit and heartbreak. There is a letter waiting for Lucas when he turns 16. This is a beautiful story touching story that anyone can relate to.

Loved it! Grab a box of tissues and enjoy. Several family and friend relationships are involved, some of which are good, some not. I didn't read the previous one. While it would have been nice to have done so, I was still fully engaged with all the pertinent characters.

Tracey has a lot on her plate but she's handling all of it. Her son Lucas has a hearing issue but that's not an impediment to their happiness. Then, last thing she needs, her ex Dominic comes back to town. Will this be a second chance romance? Don't guess too soon. Dominic's grandmother Alice is a treat and she's the one you'll root for. Don't worry if you didn't read the first one as this is fine as standalone. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. This is a good read.

Tracy Briggs has finally gotten her act together. She’s focusing on her own life and helping her hearing-impaired son learn to talk. With her sister married and exploring a new career, Tracy has begun to run the family’s magazine business and feels her life is pretty much perfect. That is, until her son’s deadbeat dad shows up in Magnolia Grove asking for a second chance.

Now that her son is getting the help he needs and a promising new romance with his teacher is in bloom, Tracy wants to keep her life just as it is. But her ex isn’t taking no for an answer. And when a spirited elderly woman enters Tracy’s life in an unexpected way, she’ll have to work harder than ever to keep her new life on track.

Torn between the past she knows and the uncertain future, Tracy must decide what is best for both her and her son, learning along the way that ordinary choices can bring extraordinary possibilities.

My Thoughts: When I first started meeting the delightful characters of A Year of Extraordinary Moments, I was immediately caught up in their lives, with all their flaws, hopes, dreams, and losses.

Alice DeLuca is the first one we meet, and I could sense her longing to once again connect with her grandson Dominic. His mother had abandoned him, but Alice raised him. And now that she is terminally ill, time is running out.

In Philadelphia, Dominic is just barely making it, with nothing or nobody meaningful in his life. When his grandmother calls, requesting he visit her in Magnolia Grove, he sets off to make her wish come true.

But once there, Dominic falls back into his old ways, drinking and carousing.

Meanwhile, Tracy is raising Dominic’s son alone, but she has the help of her mother Lila and her sister Meghan.

What, if anything, will bring these disparate family members together? Will Alice’s final days bring some of the joy she has desired? Unexpected events change the course of all their lives, and we discover that sometimes life brings just what we need.

With a great setting and characters I could root for, this book earned 4.5 stars.
***My e-ARC came from the publisher via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union and Bette Lee Crosby for this wonderful book.

This is such a good book. It will pull at your heartstrings and make you feel such strong emotions. I laughed in placed and did some hard crying in others. This book has all the emotions and you feel them all. It pulls you in and won’t let go until the very last sentence.

Wonderful characters. You will fall in love with most and dislike, very strongly, others. There are parts that just really made me do some very ugly crying but I understand they had to be included. It was spot on perfect in my opinion. Bette Lee Crosby always delivers the best stories. I expect no less from her and am never ever disappointed. I’ve read every book she ever wrote and loved them all. This one is my new favorite. It’s so good.

A must read after you read the first in the series,The Summer Of New Beginnings. I can’t wait for the next book by Ms Crosby. This is a big 5 star book.

One doesn't simply read a book written by Bette Lee Crosby, you stroll into it, take a seat and share a cup of tea. Her settings are always warm, inviting and populated by people who are just as warm and inviting. The second in the Magnolia Grove Series, this could easily be read as a standalone. In my opinion, it's better than the first book mainly due to Tracy and Lucas. There's a lot of drama in Tracy's life and it was nice to see some things get resolved.
The addition of Alice and Charley were superb. They added so much more meaning and love to this novel.
I highly recommend this book if you're searching for a heartfelt book with a character seeking redemption and a fresh start.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from netgalley, the author and Lake Union. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book sooo much! These characters are so real to me. Love the sisters, and mom. The men in their lives as well. The addition to Grandma Alice was so special. I was a little worried for a while that the happy ever after might not come about, but Bette made it happen believablely so. Truly a heartwarming series. Well done Bette Lee Crosby! Thank you. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me the privilege of reading early.

This is the second book in the A Magnolia Grove Series. The story continues focusing on the Briggs family and the people they have in their lives. The youngest daughter, Tracy finds maturity due to being a mother and finds love also because of a situation with her son.

The story flowed smoothly. The characters are well developed and the story is believable, which is always a plus to me.

Bette Lee Crosby has written another heartwarming story that I enjoyed very much.

Another wonderful book by Bette Lee Crosby. She always brings the story to us from so many different points of view with Love and family first and foremost.

A Year of Extraordinary Moments is a heart-warming book about families, filled with fascinating characters and complicated relationships! Tracy is a single mom of a hearing-impaired son whose life has finally started to come together...until her son’s deadbeat dad returns, hoping to renew their relationship. This book is a good mix of family drama, romance and suspense that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. Thanks to Net Galley for providing a copy of this book.

A Year of Extraordinary Moments is such a fantastic sequel in the Magnolia Grove series. My favorite characters are back, and a couple of new ones have been added to that list. This story concentrates more on Tracy and Dominic, and i love the way it turned out. Definitely 5 stars!

This novel was a wonderful, inspirational story about family! I enjoyed the way the characters and their relationships were depicted. This story picks up on the lives of the characters from the first book, The Summer of New Beginnings, that started this series. Tracy is back living at her mother’s house. She’s very busy taking care of her young son and running the family business. Things seem to be going well for Tracy and her life is in control. But then her son’s estranged father shows up and attempts to get back into her life and see his son. The characters face challenges and changes in their lives as there are both endings and new beginnings in their lives. The story flows along with surprises along the way, mixed in among joy and sadness.

This is a book that has all the emotions of family life in it; hope, anger,sadness, and love. It is well written and flows smoothly from beginning to end. I enjoyed reading this book. Thank you Betty Lee Crosby and Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy this book. This is my honest review.