Lean on Me // written by Pat Simmons

I'm going to be honest: the cover of this book had a lot to do with me requesting this title. It just gives me such a heartwarming feeling and as an avid fantasy reader, I enjoy squeezing in a quick romance read here and there. I enjoyed the setup of this book and the theme. It spoke of some of the difficulties of being a caretaker for a loved one while still having the rest of your life go on despite these difficulties, which made for an emotional and engaging backdrop for a love story. While it didn't go as in depth as it could've and stayed rather surface level with both the difficulties as well as the emotions related to the love and struggles, I still found it to be a fun and relaxing read that gave my brain a much needed break. If you just want to sit back and enjoy a quick love story without too much depth to get distracted with, then this is the right book for you,

Thank you to the author and publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

A real life sort of story dealing with the problem that carers have to face especially when dealing with alzheimers

This was a DNF for me. I got a bit more than half way through the book and lost interest. I don’t think that I connected with the main characters.

I'm not sure how this book missed getting downloaded, or even why I would want to read it. I know of caretakers for various family members and it's far worse then this book's characters encounter. Oh, well. It was an alright enough read, but not enough to hold my interest. Sorry. Not for me. I am sure it has it's audience and they will love the book. Sorry. Loved the cover of the book though! Beautiful.

Lean on Me stirs up a lot of emotions in me about my mother, grandmother and son. Caregivers deal with a whole lot that some people on the outside cannot relate to, some feel like you are just complaining, lazy and don’t want to deal with it. In reality it is taking a toll on you, your life and your relationship with the one you are taking care of. My mom was a nurse all her life until her health declined and one thing she made me promise was not to put her in a nursing home. I made good on my promise but sometimes it was hard to deal with taking care of her and we had to get outside help.

Mrs. Simmons has done a great job showing what caregivers go through and reality is they will need help and time to them selves. Even though Marcus was a caregiver to the caregiver , Tabitha’s Faith and trust in God helped her tremendously . I am looking forward to reading the rest in the series.

A lot going on.

I was super excited about the possibilities of this book.
I was, however, a little bit let down.
All the intentions are good and they are there. but I felt a that the true emotional depth was lacking.
Tabitha and Marcus both mean well but are finding things to be harder.
I think we needed to get below the surface more.

Reader will either relate to these characters or not. I enjoyed this read. It is not easy caring for someone with Alzheimer and I felt the challenging that Tabitha faced. There are a lot of adjustments that she had to make. I loved the relationship she had with her sisters. I can not wait to see how the relationship between Tabitha and Marcus will evolve and how the sisters will deal with their Aunt's decline.

I loved this book. It was very detailed, but the details were something I could learn from. I felt like I knew these people, and was in the story with them. Love the spiritual context. My first Pat Simmons book to read, but definitely won’t be the last. It’s hard to find good, clean content in books. Thank you for a well written novel about friendship, family, love, God, and caring for each other. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3212559987

This was a realistic story that touched my heart. It gives a glimpse into the daily life of a caregiver and I loved the addition of faith that the author brought to the story.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Tabitha and her two sisters agree to take care of their Aunt Tweet on a six-month rotation. After all, she is just a bit foggy, but still present most of the time. At first everything goes smoothly, then one morning Aunt Tweet wanders away and ends up on her neighbor's front porch. Marcus does not take kindly to intruders and when he figures out who this old lady is, he threatens to call 911 and turn in Tabitha for neglect. Tabitha has a very hard time adjusting not only to care for her aunt, but to her new job. Marcus eventually changes his attitude and becomes a caregiver for the caregiver.

Aunt Tweet's doctor tried to give the sisters a realistic picture of Alzheimer's, but they seemed not to have been listening. Tabitha is a pharmaceutical sales person, and even though she reads all the background information on Alzheimer's, none of it seems to stick with her, which I found disconcerting. I realize Alzheimer's is (usually) an old person issue, and maybe people under the age of 65 or 70 are completely unaware of what might be happening to their elder relatives or neighbors, but, please, a little more awareness on the part of younger people would help a whole lot.

I received an ARC copy of Lean on Me by Pat Simmons through Net Galley, and I absolutely loved this book. This is the first time I have read a book by Pat Simmons, and I cannot wait to read the rest The Family is Forever series, and the other books written by her.
To me, the main premise of this wonderful, emotional, spiritual, and loving book is how to lean. Lean on someone for support, even if you feel you do not need it, deserve it, but in reality you do. Leaning on someone is not just for support, but for trust, understanding, and so many other ways. I am very grateful that Tabitha had a great support from her employer to her new neighbor, even though they got off to a rocky start, and of course her sisters.
Lean on Me is written thru Tabitha and Marcus' point of view, and I loved seeing both sides.
In the beginning of the story, Tabitha felt alone, overwhelmed, drained physically and mentally, but was still compassionate, loving towards her Aunt Tweet. I loved how Marcus may have judged to quickly, but as time went on, he knew that there was much, much more to Tabitha, and her Aunt's relationship. Once the dust settled a little for Tabitha, she too realized that she judged Marcus too soon. I loved how Marcus was there for Tabitha as a friend, not pushy, not overwhelming her, but more relaxed, letting her take her time, and just being there for her, even when she thought that she did not need any one.
I love the connections that Tabitha and Marcus made as friends, to a couple, and the growth of Tabitha and Marcus as individuals. Thank you Pat Simmons for writing this wonderful, spiritual, courageous, heartfelt, and emotional story.

Lean On Me is a great book. I enjoyed it and read every single word so as not to miss anything.
I have been caregiver to both my parents, my husbands father and an aunt. I found the struggle to be real. I recommend this book. It is worth your time and more.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Wow what can I say about this title it was just an awesome read. This book was just something so wonderfully different I’ve never quite read anything like this. You should read to find out you won’t be disappointed. I’m definitely going to read more by this author.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I liked the story and how it showed unconditional love for your family even in the difficult times. In this book Tabitha and her sisters Kym and Rachel are sharing in the care of their Aunt Tweet who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. They all live in different cities and have decided to look after her for 6 months at a time. It is Tabitha's turn to care for Aunt Tweet and although she has done a lot of research on the disease and what to expect it is not what she expected. It is very stressful trying to care for her and have a full-time job and Aunt Tweet does not make it easy. This story really opened my eyes to what it takes to care for someone with Alzheimer's as well as the changing symptoms involved with the disease. I liked the other characters in the book including Marcus and how they added to the story. This book is the first in a trilogy and I am looking forward to what happens during the rest of the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really love two things when I read: Finding a new author, and being able to start the first book in a new series. That was exactly the case with Lean on Me. Discovering the author, Pat Simmons, through the pages of this book was quite rewarding.

Tabitha Knicely and Marcus Whittington cross paths. She is a busy pharmaceutical rep who is now caring for her aunt who is suffering from Alzheimers. Marcus has his own business and he hires men who need a second chance, and that includes ex-cons. The way they meet is that someone keeps landing on Marcus's doorstep. The woman happens to be Tabitha's Aunt Tweet and it doesn't take long before Tabitha and Marcus meet.

So we have three principal characters in this book, Tabitha, Marcus and the wonderful Aunt Tweet. Marcus sees a real need when it comes to Tabitha and her aunt, although at first he was concerned that Tabitha was shirking her responsibilities in her role as a caregiver.

I so loved this book. It was touching in both an emotional and spiritual way. Marcus and Tabitha start off as friends, but their growth has a solid background when it comes to faith. This was not the turn I expected when reading this book, but I was floored by how much this book touched my soul. This is the first book in the Family is Forever series, and I will definitely be looking out for the next book, Here for You, which is scheduled to release in September.

Meanwhile, as time permits, I will be perusing Ms. Simmons backlist for more inspiring reads. I rarely get the opportunity read AA characters, and with the addition of faith, her novels are definitely for me.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book is a sweet read that displays the concept of unconditional love. The book give readers a story of love and dedication to family as sisters alternate taking care of their Aunt Tweet who is sadly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In this story it’s Tabitha Knicely’s turn to care for her aunt. Aunt Tweet decides to wander to neighbor Marcus Whittington’s porch. Marcus, although attracted to Tabitha from the start, accuses her of elder neglect and threatens to call the police. Another reason I enjoyed the book is that the author reveals some of the joys and challenges of the role of a caregiver. She didn’t bog the story down in the heaviness of Tabitha’s responsibilities and sacrifices but gave more weight to the romance between Tabitha and Marcus.
The characters are likeable and I believe the author touched on a topic that’s a lot more common than written about. This disease has touched my family firsthand so I commend Tabitha and her sisters in sharing the responsibility because caregiving is a life changing role and can weigh heavy on a person if they don’t have backup and resources to help. This leads me to wonder how much research the author did or was her sole purpose not to weigh the story down with in-depth heaviness of caregiving? There are resources that are offered and I couldn’t help but wonder why Tabitha and her sisters didn’t find out what was offered for help. It wasn’t until the end of the story when it was mentioned about getting Aunt Tweet a sitter. And I know firsthand that most people who have Alzheimer’s do not like a change of environment or new or unfamiliar people but Aunt Tweet didn’t seem to have any adverse reaction being around unfamiliar people except once during story time with the children.
I like the communication between the sisters and that they did video calls to keep in touch and check up on Aunt Tweet’s well being. I liked Marcus. He is a caring man and was there for a lot of people. His character seemed to be more developed than the others. We saw the business side of Marcus and his caring side. And it was a little scary and unreal how Marcus cared too much. He didn’t seem to hesitate or think twice about helping Latrice or Tabitha. Tabitha’s character didn’t seem to be as developed to me. All I can say about her is she’s a pharmaceutical rep and caregiver for her aunt. With the role she was in I wanted to see more realness, something readers in that role could relate to.
Though I enjoyed the book and reading about a real life illness the story was just too close to perfect and sweet for me. Readers who enjoy sweet happiness during a challenging situation, and no real suspense or drama would love reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lean On Me
Family Is Forever #1
By: Pat Simmons

*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟,

On a personal note: I never considered the daily trials of caregiving until my husband became a caregiver for his terminally ill 80 year old father. For the better part of a year, he went shopping, cooked and fed, groomed and bathed, tidied the house, fed a million cats, mowed the yard, paid the bills, did pharmacy runs, back and forth to doctor appointments, spent countless nights in hospital rooms and worked a full time job. I saw the physical, emotional and spiritual toll it took on him. When his father died over a year ago, he instantly became the primary caregiver for his elderly widowed mother. He never gets a break and never slows down. He can't because she is extremely needy and more and more confused every day. I'm frustrated for him, and helpless to change it.

When I began reading Lean On Me, I knew immediately that this book showed up in my mailbox at exactly the right time. I felt so much sympathy and sorrow for Tabitha and Aunt Tweet from the start. Initially, I disliked Marcus, but I also understood that he didn't understand, yet. Later, I knew Marcus's frustration at the entire situation as the same I had felt many times. No one wants this, and the lack of control is disconcerting and causes anger to surface easily. Giving the situation over to God, trusting the course unfolding before you is the correct one, even, or especially, when it feels like the worst road you could possibly walk, is all you can do. This story shows the trials of day to day living for a caregiver. It's a thankless exhausting job that is often misunderstood as being a lot easier than it actually is. Tabitha and Marcus experience all the ups and downs, yet they still choose to open their hearts to the possibility of love, acceptance, forgiveness and, dare they dream, of happiness. I loved watching these characters grow in faith, love and acceptance. It reminded me to be open to the possibilities in my own life. Although it's frustrating and grey at times, better days are on the horizon. Lean On Me is a beautiful moving story written by a truly talented author who speaks to the heart with her words. I am looking forward to the next book in the Family Is Forever series. Thank a caregiver!

One of the perks of belonging to NetGalley.com and getting books to read is that I get introduced to new-to-me authors and find some clean, wholesome reading material.

Pat Simmons is working on a series of novels about three sisters and their Aunt Tweet (suffering from dementia). The first novel in the series takes the middle sister, Tabitha Knicely, and details her struggles with Aunt Tweet. The specific trouble Tabitha has with Aunt Tweet is that Aunt Tweet tends to wander around the neighborhood and ends up on one man's porch for a rest before finishing her walk.

Marcus Whittington takes Tabitha to task for not taking care of Aunt Tweet and implies she's not up to the task of caring of someone in Aunt Tweet's mental condition. But something about Aunt Tweet and Tabitha works inroads into Marcus' well-ordered life.

There are angst, humor, sass, and epiphanies throughout the book, which make it all the more enjoyable. The characters have a believable reality that make them exceptionally likable.

This is a five-star book, with two thumbs up, and a lemonade on the front porch.

My thanks to SourceBooks Casablanca and NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read for this review.

Lean On Me. Was a great book. It had some very real life situations, that many deal with daily. Being a caregiver is a very hard an selfless job. I’ve done it. And I think the author did an amazing job, in showing what it is like to be a caregiver to anyone. I loved the story and would recommend it 100%!

The author gives a very real and heartfelt story of the rewards and challenges of a caregiver, particularly Alzheimer. The truth of the matter is no one should go at it alone, but often-times they do. When the Knicely sisters makes a pact to co-care for Aunt Tweet, it is an admirable and they soon find out, a huge undertaking.

In Lean on Me, we journey with Tabitha and her experience of seeing firsthand how this disease slowly deteriorates our love ones and strips them from who they once were. When aunt Tweet started her disappearing acts to the residence of one Marcus Washington, he is baffled and concern with this stranger always sitting on his porch. When he finally addresses the woman and her caregiver, it was with impatience and full of threats. Tabitha knew the lifestyle of ever-changing schedules and routines was inevitable.

By the time Marcus was able to see what she was up against, he to was captivated by aunt Tweet. Before long Tabitha and Marcus is on a fast-track to friends—lovers—co-caregivers. Tabitha and Marcus give a true example of finding peace and strength through faith and each other.

I found this story to be relatable and the characters well written. It will take you on an emotional ride, but it’s worth the time. Already looking forward to the other sister’s experiences.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for an opportunity to read and give honest feedback.