Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown was an amazing read that I just couldn't put down. I loved the fact that each character had their own unique voice and also that the story had me gripped from the first page.
I highly recommend this book and the author to all my friends.

A good story with many good characters. It opens with Jessica an Army Vet returning back to a hometown where she grew up and left after high school. Now back because her uncle left her an abandoned church she is wondering what to do with it. Her three other friends show up along with Wade who was a one-time nerd of the school but also joined the Army. They all decide to make a bar and grill out of the place which sets off Risa’s mother who she and her twin daughter are living with. She is also going through a divorce but her mother was the character I did not like throughout this entire story. Each one of the women is going through something but it is good that they have each other to be there for each other a good story about friendship and moving forward in life. A really good book.

Unfortunately, this is the second book by Carolyn Brown that I felt did not demonstrate her ability to write books that delve into the lives of the characters and issues that they deal with on a daily basis. This did not get my attention so I struggled not to skim through the pages to get to the end and say, “Whew! I’m finally done!” Too syrupy sweet with no real sink your teeth into story. I was disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Okay, I expected more from Carolyn Brown since I am a fan and the reason I chose to read this book. I couldn’t get into the book or characters. I did finish reading the book. I would pass on it and pick another book of hers.

Riverbend Reunion is another story of friendship, new beginnings, second chances and dysfunctional families. Riverbend, Texas, is where four high school friends reunite after twenty years, all looking for a new start, old friends, familiarity and maybe where they belong. Risa has been kicked out of the family compound and with her twin girls, returned home while waiting for a divorce. Her mother isn't what she was looking for. A self-righteous woman masquerading as a good Christian ends up going head to head with her daughter. Mary Nell has been supporting her boyfriend who has been trying to make it in Nashville. When he gets his big break, he tells her to hit to road, he doesn't need her anymore. Haley was just blindsided by a shocking family secret, and doesn't know who she is anymore and finally restless army veteran Jessica Callaway, looking to plant roots, and the inherited old church might be what she needs. The women decide to renovate the old, abandoned church and turn it into a bar. Located in the middle of three dry-counties, it is sure to be a hit. Throw in Wade Granger, also a veteran, Jessica's former crush and a man with some money to invest, and this project has a wonderful chance to help all of them turn their lives around and begin anew. This group just has to stand firm and fight the fire and brimstone of Rissa's mother. For Riverbend, this is going to be a homecoming―and a scandal―to remember.

If you read Carolyn Brown books you will see a pattern to her stories, but they work. I just don't recommend you do a binge read. This story has four young women, all with baggage, coming together in their hometown, sharing secrets, trying to move forward, and start something new. They are all strong women together, but alone, they allowed themselves to be taken for granted or dealt with something extremely unpleasant. They are wounded, but together they help each other to heal, Wade helps too. All their problems are realistic and make these women easy to relate to. Risa's mother, husband and MIL are all strict, self-righteous Christians who do not follow the teachings of Love Your Neighbour, or Forgiveness, it's my way or the highway with them. I loved that her twin daughters chose to be with her and used their musical talent to help bridge a way to community acceptance. Neither Wade or Jessica are looking for a relationship, but they can’t seem to ignore their growing feelings, and it is a sweet romance. Mary Nell is dealing with family secrets that have rocked her world, and Haley, a teacher, quits her job and has her own surprise to deal with. It is wonderful to see this found family, sisters of the heart, come together to support once another and help them work through the baggage, and move forward. With a backdrop of summer in a small town, carnivals, heat waves, good food and music, this is an uplifting story where these friends come out on top.

Riverbend Reunion by Carolyn Brown is a story about four high school friends who need work and a place to live turning a church into a bar. Descriptions of the character and the place are amazing.

I received this book for free from netgalley for an honest review.

Really well thought-out book with amazing characters and excellent setting.

Coming home is always a challenge.Jessica has served her country and now knows just where she can have the peace she never had on the battlefield. It’s is here in the place she left those high school friends that she chooses to sink her roots and grow a community of hearts and friends.

This is a sweet story of friends reuniting, overcoming hurdles and healing from grief and troubles. Sadly perhaps a little too tame for me and although this was a character led book I found them to be a bit one dimensional.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A great women's fiction novel drama. Recommend

Returning to your hometown after 20 years in the military and reuniting with your high school best friends is a major highlight to Jessica’s life. Her 3 friends decide to open a bar with dancing in an old church that Jessica inherited. Not everyone in small town Texas is happy about it. their white-clapboard dream is causing a ruckus. With a renewed bond, hard work, and the promise of romance, Jessica and her friends aren’t backing down. For Riverbend, this is going to be a homecoming—and a scandal—to remember. I enjoy Ms. Brown’s style and romance.

I will admit to requesting this book from Netgalley on the strength of a pretty cover and a cute, if somewhat cliched, synopsis. This turned out to be a bit of a mistake as Riverbend Reunion will probably get the prize for the worst book I’ve read all year. (Well, attempted to read, it was a DNF.)

Brown needs to look up the ‘show not tell’ method and give it a go. She also could do with some lessons on dialogue. The place setting had no appealing flora or fauna but instead just offered up some embarrassingly backward Texans. It’s pretty horrifying to think that so many crazy religious extremist nutters are on the loose in America, aided and abetted by their weird laws surrounding churches, bars, guns and drinking.

I did try to finish but there was only so many ‘y’all wanna put some country music on and talk about our ol’ uncle’s sermons’ I could take. Obviously 1 star

I really enjoy Carolyn Brown's books as they always make me smile, and has great characters.
This one is about taking second chances and changes in life, A small town story that made me smile and kept me entertained from start to finish

A light-hearted summer beach read presented with humor, emotion and a bit of romance. High school friends, each at a turning point, get together in their small hometown and end up staying and becoming a big family, building a business together. Not surprisingly, each character has issues/conflicts/adversities that they face. A pleasant ending.

This book was hard to put down. Lifelong friendship is a rare blessing and to read about 4 friends meeting back up after living 20 years of very different lives, picking up as sisters. Forming bonds and changing their community. I live how succinctly Ms. Brown handled Stella, a self professed self righteous Christian who was really a woman of sanctimonious ugliness! We have all wished to have an outcome similar to this ! What a wonderful enjoyable heart warming book.

I have to say what I love about Carolyn Brown…. She writes a sweet romantic tale that has me snuggled up on my sofa and lets me escape the world around me. Riverbend Reunion was awesome! I loved the small town feeling that gave me the feels! The characters were amazing and I loved them all! What a great escape!

From the get-go, this novel gave me strong “Sweet Magnolias” vibes with its small town atmosphere and strong sense of faith and community. Sadly, similar to the Netflix show, I found that the plot lacked intensity. It was rather non-eventful and anticlimatic. It failed to grab my attention, despite its “sweetness” and focus on friendship.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect book to snuggle up with on any day.

It was quite a simple and a very cute read that I find myself smiling and giggling about in every now and then. I just starkly loved it.

I loved the small town of Riverbend, Texas and really enjoyed Jessica and Wade's story. All of the characters were great, and it was nice to see these friends get reunited and work together to open the bar. One of my favorite moments was how Oscar handled Stella when she showed up at the bar to cause trouble on opening night. That's was so funny and the perfect solution!