Crossing the Street

I would like to thank NetGalley, Story Plant, and Molly D. Campbell for the ARC of "Crossing the Street" by Molly D. Campbell for my honest review.
The genre for this book is Women's Fiction.
I found that Molly D. Campbell describes flawed, complex, and complicated characters. These characters are likeable at times, and not likeable at times. These characters remind me of my friends, neighbors, and family.
Rebecca is friends with Ella, an eighty year old neighbor. Rebecca comes from a dysfunctional family and shows anger and hostility towards her sister for marrying her old boyfriend. Her sister and husband are now expecting a baby.
Rebecca writes erotic novels to support herself and also works at Starbucks. Ella gets news that her great grand daughter is going to be coming to live with her. Ella's grandson is in the service overseas. Ella is frail and falls, and Rebecca helps both Ella and Bob, her great grand daughter.
Bob is eight years old and is quite mature and precocious. Although Bob is a young girl who has had a tough time while her Dad is away, she seems to have "adult" reasoning. She teaches her Grandmother to text and e-mail. Bob helps Rebecca cook, and tries to help with Rebecca's relationships. I really liked Bob! She has lots of spunk.
I find that Molly D. Campbell, shows growth and understanding, the importance of friends,neighbors and family, and love of animals. The author also shows emotion through her characters, anger, hate, forgiveness, compassion,and love.
I enjoyed this book and would recommend it highly. I had a few "Kleenex" moments.

This is a wonderful book that deals with three generations of women. Beck is a writer who lives in a small apartment across the street from Ella and her great granddaughter Bob. Beck has problems with her sister Diana ever since Diana married Becks boyfriend. When Ella falls and breaks her hip Beck must step into the void and help everyone cope. The women are all so strong and coping with divorce, loneliness and illness. The interaction is beautiful and so real life. Beck never thought her best friends would be a 90 year old woman and an 8 year old girl. The story is funny, emotional and sad. I've never read Molly Campbell but I see she has two other books that will soon be on my to be read pile. Hopefully we will catch up with Bob as she grows older.

I loved this entire delightful story!
Each and every character has wonderful in- depth personalities that provide a continuous heart warming story.
Everyone should know a little girl like Bob, with a huge heart and so much sadness, this child only sees the best in anyone she meets.
Bob loves her Great-Gran. She cares for her as Gran is devoted to her darling great- granddaughter. Bob's best friend in this whole world is now Beck.
Beck, is a person that is in all of us and only needs time to realize what is important in life and to learn to forgive.
Great book!

I loved this delightful funny book! Beck didn't see her life going the way it is. Writing erotica to pay the bills, Ella who is in her 80's as her best friend and Ella's sweet great grand daughter Bob. It is a great story of friends and the the twists and turns life throws at you. I laughed and I cried as I read this wonderful book. Thank you to NetGalley and Story Plant for an ARC edition for an honest review.

I am so excited to bring you my review of the upcoming must-read novel Crossing the Street, by Molly D. Campbell. This is such a wonderful story about a young woman, Beck, and her friends and family. Beck is best friends with Gail (who she grew up with) and Ella (her neighbor that is in her 80’s). Beck doesn’t get along with her sister Diana because of Diana marrying Beck’s ex-boyfriend Bryan. Things get even worse once Beck finds out that Diana is pregnant and their mother is pushing Beck to forgive and move on. Suddenly Ella finds out that her great-granddaughter Bob (Roberta) is coming to live with her due to her mother being a drug addict and her Dad (Ella’s grandson) at war in the Middle East. Beck – who doesn’t like or want children – suddenly finds herself helping Ella with Bob, and then helping her sister with her new nephew Alex. All while working at Starbucks, writing erotica novels, and trying to become attracted to a really nice guy that is smitten with her.

Beck is one of my favorite female characters ever. Actually, both Beck and Bob are my favorite female characters ever! Beck is the type of person that you want as your friend. She’s hilarious, sarcastic, a mess – but with the biggest heart ever. When Ella falls and gets hurt, Beck steps in taking care of Bob and Ella’s house along with making post-hospital arrangements for Ella. She has a cat Simpson, that she is crazy over, but Bob continuously keeps moving further and further into Beck’s heart. Bob is one of the coolest, most unique characters I have ever encountered while reading. Tough yet tender, smart, witty, intelligent – yet borderline broken because of her mother’s abuse and neglect. Adding to that is her constant worry about her father Charles, a Marine stationed in the Middle East. But despite the horror this young girl has lived through, she is the sweetest thing ever and wise beyond her years.

A huge transformation occurred throughout the novel regarding Diana. Well actually, there was a huge transformation overall among the sisters and their mother. But Diana starts out appearing so selfish and self-absorbed, but after having endless issues with her newborn baby, she starts to soften and show a different side. I hated her in the beginning but absolutely loved Diana by the end of the novel.

Overall, Beck and Bob stole the show with this one. Beck experiences so many urgencies and challenges, yet she keeps on rolling with taking care of Bob, Ella, Diana, and Alex. And Bob demonstrated an incredible resiliency that I think we would all hope for our children to possess when faced with trauma and crisis. Crossing the Street focuses on the importance of family – whether family by blood or by choice – and how helping others is not only beneficial to the one(s) needing help but is also gratifying for the one pitching in. This novel reminds the reader of the importance of the people that we can trust, as well as, the overwhelming power and freedom that comes with forgiveness.

Molly D. Campbell has completed a masterpiece that will make you laugh, cry, get angry, feel regret, and everything in between. This is a must-read novel that will stick with you long after finishing the last, beautifully crafted sentence. The author has created something that will move each reader in a different way, and absolutely created something to be proud of. Crossing my fingers that Beck and Bob’s story will be continued….

*Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!