Read. This. Book. Everybody would benefit from reading this, not just for the story but because there is plenty of food for thought. Those of us who are older will be agreeing all the way with Maggie – the mother – we have all encountered this attitude of entitlement in the younger generation. As a teacher, I have been close to families brought up in both ways & I certainly know which produces the finer adults.
The writer has succeeded totally in communicating each & every character’s perspective. In fact she does this so well, they don’t even seem like ‘characters’ but rather like very real people.
There are plenty of quotes worth taking a note of :-
“I wanted to give them everything, but now they have everything and they just act like kids who have everything. They don’t appreciate anything because nothing they have is anything they’ve ever had to live without. They just keep wanting more, and getting more never seems to make them happy.”
“You don’t help someone learn to make adjustments by seeing to it that there are no adjustments to be made.”
“Beauty fades. Knowing how to treat people lasts forever.”
Definitely a book worth recommending...to everyone you know!

This story unfolds with a group of volunteers, Doctors on Wheels, that offer medical support travelling to disaster areas to offer assistance.

Maggie and her partner Alex along with their team find themselves helping 2 girls, Jean and Rose after their parents were killed in rural Louisiana during a hurricane. They are sick themselves and when their elderly grandparents are located and unable to take the girls, Maggie decides to foster them.

Her our spoilt and rude daughters, Willa and Gemma move to their fathers when Maggie arrives home with Jean and Rose and refuse to even speak to them.

A blended family, where different personalities, interests and beliefs surface but with time, patience and love will this family survive!

A beautifully written story of hope and love!

This is another fantastic book by Catherine Ryan Hyde that again made me think and reflect on my life. Maggie is a GP who along with her partner Alex runs a free medical service for disaster struck areas. This sees Maggie once again leaving her teenage daughters with their father (and her ex-husband) to go and assist with the aftermath of a tornado.
While running their 'field clinic' with friends Dr's Lacey and John Bishop, Maggie comes across two girls who are a similar age to her own daughters but so very different. The girls are traumatised by the tornado and both suffering from pneumonia. Rather than palm them off to a shelter or foster care while their parents are located, Maggie makes the decision to take in the girls and look after them herself.
This decision sets many lives off on a new course and Maggie is in for a rough ride with the fallout of this decision.
A beautifully told story about kindness and generosity no matter the circumstances.
Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Catherine Ryan Hyde has written another excellent book. Rolling Toward Clear Skies takes you into the life and work of a family with two very privileged teen girls. Their mother is a doctor who operates a clinic on wheels and travels to disaster areas to help the wounded. I loved this book as I have every other book that she has written.
Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy. The opinion is entirely my own.

This book was a delightful surprise. It felt honestly heartbreaking at times. Cringingly horrible at others. Yet full of love at all times.

I'm not sure I've ever read another story where the family (new & old) seemed so real. Every characters honesty emanated from the page, and I loved that. Even will Gemma & Willa were horrible, I appreciated it because it was true.

I'd definitely recommend this book, and would love if there was a sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Maggie is a doctor who volunteers her time with Doctors on Wheels. It's an organization that travels to hard hit areas to help with medical care.

When Maggie travels to Louisiana after a major hurricane she meets two teenagers who have lost everything including their parents.

I loved the concept of this book. After a few devastating hurricanes here in the US recently this story is so relevant.

I liked the characters, but Maggie's daughters have a lot to learn about life. I loved how the two new girls were so grounded even after such tragedy.

You really can't go wrong with a Catherine Ryan Hyde book if you like an emotional true to life type of story.

Thanks to netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the arc.

This is another 5 star read from this renowned author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
Maggie is a divorced mum of two teenager daughters, they have had a privileged upbringing and are used to always getting what they want. They can be selfish and thoughtless
Maggie is a GP who also volunteers for Doctors on Wheels and in this role meets two teenage sisters who have just lost both their parents to a hurricane. . Maggie sees how different these two girls are to her own daughters, how they support each other, she decides with her partner Alex to offer the girls a foster home and she later adopts them.
As expected her own daughters are not happy and they flea to their fathers to stay. In contrast her foster daughters show her love and appreciation for what she is doing for them. There are some rocky months, the four girls meeting, and there are some hard lessons for her own two girls.
The story as always rolls along drawing the reader in to the complexities of this newly formed family. Lots of topics are explored, loss, grief, jealousy, bullying, anger, but as time moves on there is between the 4 daughters a growing respect, friendship, tolerance and most importantly love. Maggie's original two girls begin to learn that trust and respect are earned.
One again this author has her readers captivated and I highly recommend this book to any reader.

Huge thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. I apologise for late review.

I'm sorry, but this is a very shallow book. It covers a lot of important topics, but the story barely scratches the surface.
80% of the text consists of banal, flat, cheesy, and utterly fake dialogue. None of the characters are likable. The main character, Maggie, is not only perfect but also incredibly naive and somehow stupid. The whole story raises my eyebrows because nothing in this book is believable.

4/5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Book: Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Genre: Fiction

This was my first dive into a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it! "Rolling Toward Clear Skies" is a heartwarming story about Maggie Blount, a divorced physician whose life takes a turn when she teams up with her partner, Alex, to join Doctors on Wheels. After responding to a devastating hurricane in rural Louisiana, Maggie decides to foster two orphaned sisters and their puppy. The story really digs into the ups and downs of blending families from different backgrounds. Maggie brings Jean and Rose into her fancy Vista del Mar home, which doesn’t sit well with her self-absorbed teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma.

Hyde does an amazing job of tackling themes like privilege, empathy, and personal growth throughout the book. The contrast between the grateful Jean and Rose and Maggie's entitled daughters creates some real tension that makes everyone rethink their assumptions. As Maggie tries to teach her kids about gratitude while figuring out her own role in all this, the chaos of their new family dynamic unfolds beautifully. "Rolling Toward Clear Skies" is a heartfelt look at second chances and what family really means, encouraging readers to think about compassion and understanding. If you believe in the transformative power of love, this book is definitely a must-read! 💕🌟

Thank you SO much to @netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for sending me the wonderful ARC of #RollingTowardClearSkies #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I have read many books by this author and this was definitely the worst one. The book came across as very after school special and was just not relatable unfortunately. I just feel that the author did not capture the emotion of the story. We are told how to feel, but the actions and behaviors of the characters do not match with the emotions. The adoption took a second and I think the adopted ones had suffered brain damage or something because they are just the most ridiculously easy teens ever. I really hope that this book is a fluke. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

CRH is such a wonderful author. This may be my favorite of hers that I've read. I will be recommending to everyone.
Thanks so much for approving my request.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

This is a story about a blended family when Maggie a doctor adopts 2 teenagers rescued from a hurricane that killed their parents. Maggie lives with Alex and together they run an emergency Doctors on wheels practice to provided extra medical services during disasters. This is how they found and treated the two girls for pneumonia. Maggie’s 2 very spoilt biological daughters are outraged with the coming of their new sisters and a dog. The whole family including Alex seek to work the these complex issues. This is well written and easy to read. Sometimes the characters are a little unbelievable for instance Alex must be the most patient boyfriend on the planet having to contend with Maggie’s biological daughters who seem to be in a constant rage.
3 stars

Wow thankyou As always a fantastic book by a consistently brilliant author. I always regret their ending and always look forward to the next book thanks

Hyde writes feel good books. There is something compelling about her novels. Yes, they are predictable. We know all the troubles people are experiencing will some how work to a happy result in the end. And while that may not be how life is sometimes, it is how we would like to be and that makes this fiction a rewarding novel to read. It fulfills what I want in fiction, an escape from all the bad news by experiencing an interlude of good news.

Hyde explores family relationships in this novel. She includes two girls orphaned by a hurricane tragedy and counters them with two girls who are spoiled and ungrateful. Granted, the two sets of girls may be over characterized. The newly orphaned girls are really, really nice and so, so grateful and so naive. The other girls are so, so ungrateful and resentful and way too sophisticated. The contrast may be over the top but it makes for a good novel about the struggles of understanding the meaning of family and accepting changes.

Hyde includes bits of wisdom along the way. Here is one from when one of the girls is learning to drive. “We tend to end up where we are putting our attention.” (2404/4415) A good reminder of checking where we place our focus.

This is a fine novel for readers who like to feel good at the end of reading one.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

I did not want this book to end, it’s so good!
When Dr Maggie and her nurse partner Alex go out to help after a hurricane, they could never have imagined how their lives were about to change.
This is a story about love and acceptance and how they and their daughters deal with both.
I would love for there to be a sequel with more about Doctors on Wheels.
Thank you Catherine Ryan Hyde, I enjoy your books, but this is my favourite.

Dr. Maggie Blount’s significant other, Alex, an RN came up with the idea of Doctors on Wheels. They arrive in areas that have been ravaged by natural disasters, in their two R.V.’s, and offer free medical care. While away on their missions, her teen daughters, Willa and Gemma, stay with their father. They were recently interviewed about their ability to assist in an area that might not have emergency facilities. In Louisiana, after a devastating storm, two teen girls, Rose and Jean, arrive at the R.V. They are ill with pneumonia, lost their parents and their home. They are quiet, well-behaved and spend several days recovering. Maggie, who has gotten close to the girls, offers to foster them, but how will her daughters react to this new family addition? She knew it might take some time, but had no idea how much her daughters might resent them. While away assisting at a wildfire, her daughters sit for a second interview, that unfortunately casts them in a less than sympathetic light. Upon their return, how will Maggie deal with the situation between her four daughters and the media? A beautiful and moving story of those who have lost so much, but are so grateful for the lifeline that Maggie and Alex provide. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a superb novel of real life and the entitled children many of us are raising. Maggie is a doctor. Her partner, Alex, is a nurse who has started a charity which aims to deliver free medical care to people who have been affected by a natural disaster. Its consists of the two of them and a retired married couple, both of whom are doctors. And a couple of motorhomes. While on a mission, Hurricane Mina, Maggie met two girls, the same ages as her daughters, 12 and 14, who had watched the roof cave in and kill their parents and who had come for a medical emergency not caused by the hurricane, but rather lack of care, their parents having had no medical insurance. To make a long story short, she fell in love with them and started the process to become their foster mom with a view to adopting. Needless to say this did not go over well with her entitled daughters.

This is a story of rebuilding lives: for two of the girls it was heaven on earth and every day they were thankful; for the other two girls all they could see was that they were losing their mother. They stayed at their dad’s despite the fact they didn’t like it, and finally agreed to do a follow-up interview for TV. Their mother had done one about the charity and how it affected her family. Now was their chance to tell their side of the story, which they did. That didn’t work out as they had hoped. They came off as selfish and entitled and people didn’t hesitate to express their disapproval. It was a moving book about teenagers and the way they view the world, but also how their past lives affect their viewpoint. Growing up is difficult. Probably not that different from what many parents experience, but certainly more exaggerated. Excellent book about people who could be real.

I was invited to read Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Lake Unions Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #LakeUnionPublishing #CatherineRyanHyde #RollingTowardClearSkies

Catherine Ryan Hyde does an amazing job of writing books that are emotional, captivating, and full of characters you adore.
This was such a delightful read. A heartfelt novel of hope and second chances.
I really enjoyed reading this one.
I love any book by Catherine Ryan Hyde and was thrilled to get this arc.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for an ARC of this novel.

Catherine Ryan Hyde is one of my favourite writers. I continue to be amazed by how much ‘story’ she can skilfully pack into a barely more than 200 page novel. Hers is a completely immersive brand of fiction.

The story is a relatively familiar one, having to do with fostering, adoption, and the blending of families. Not only with each other, but with their parents’ unusual and highly stressful careers in emergency medicine. Dr Maggie Blount is a respected 40-something physician whose empathic nature leads her to join Doctors on Wheels, an association founded by her boyfriend Alex, a registered nurse. With two elderly doctors, they accompany a clinic on wheels to disaster sites, each in their own RV. Maggie is divorced and has two selfish and self-absorbed teen daughters . Alex admits he has a hard time with them, and Maggie feels bad about it, but also frequently confesses she doesn’t like them either. Nor does their grandmother Bess. Everyone, Maggie included, feels that Willa and Gemma were overindulged with material goods and a fancy private school. Their parents’ divorce, Maggie’s subsequent co-habitation with a man ten years younger, and their father Dan’s similar situation, are also hauled out as causative factors. They are classic spoiled brats.

There is also a subplot involving a local TV interviewer, Elinor Price, who, thinking their work will greatly interest the public, asks some very personal, discomfiting questions of Maggie, Alex and the girls. They take delight in laying out the grievances they believe will garner them the sympathetic public attention they somehow deserve for having a working mother.

In the midst of a fictional hurricane in a poor Louisiana county, the crew treats two other teenage girls, stricken with pneumonia and traumatized by the sudden loss of everything they had known. After some complications, they become ‘the other girls’, quickly adopted into an un-cosy family along with a starving, bone thin stray puppy. This puppy, whom the girls name Sunny as an emblem of hope, brought home to me more than anything else how sudden change tips over and destroys everyday life.

I won’t divulge more, except to say that the TV ost brings the entire group together on screen in sequel fashion. And that the repercussions are as enormous as those of the storm that set things rolling. Eventually but not smoothly toward clear skies.´

This is a heart-wrenching story about expectations, disillusionments, and adaptations. At times, especially for a short book, it feels as though something momentous happens in every sentence. At times what happens next is a bit predictable. The ‘good girls’ can be too good to be altogether believable. The ‘bad girls’ appear not only bad but often unconscionably stupid, which I find more offensive than their petty adolescent badness. Nevertheless, I had to read this in one go, urged forward by the love, fear, and wisdom that also come through on every page.

Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde, in this book the author introduces us to Maggie who volunteers for the clinic on wheels that arrives in devastated areas in America a nonprofit that her boyfriend Alex started. She’s also the mother to teens Willow and Gemma who as of late Maggie has been seeing them for the entitled spoiled children they are. She wanted to give them everything and then doing so gave them the attitude they now possess. She is absolutely determined to dispel them of the notion but first the clinic has to go to Louisiana to 10 to hurricane victims. This is where she meets Jean and Rose The teen girls weren’t injured by the hurricane but have pneumonia something Maggie knows started before the bad weather when she inquires about their parents she soon learns the two sisters watched as a house collapse and killed them. These girls are nice polite sweet all the things Maggies children or not she even catches rose feeding some of her pizza to a skinny homeless dog. When the caseworker cannot find appropriate housing for the girls Maggie decides to take them in. Willow in Gemma do not take kindly to the news in the last thing they feel for these motherless orphans is sympathy. Things get even worse when Maggie and her kids do a TV show that she was previously on and negative comments her older daughter says goes viral. Is there anything Maggie can do to bring her blended family together? I love Catherine Ryan Hyde books and this one definitely stands up as one of her best in the catalog. I love the heart warming funny emotional torment that always ends and happiness one of my favorite books is goodbye chuck Wheeler written by her and so she is one of those authors don’t even have to read the summary to know you’re going to want to read it. I do want to say I did find Jean and Rose seemed almost too good to be true but having known sweet teens just like that I didn’t question it end it all made for such a great read!#NetGalley, #LakeUnionPublishing, #CatherineRyanHyde, #RollingTowardClearSkies,