Comfort Songs

a companion novel to Comfort Plans

by

Kimberly Fish

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Publisher: Fish Tales, LLC

Date of Publication: September 19, 2019

Number of Pages: 348

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Award-winning author of Comfort Plans, Kimberly Fish, delivers a novel about family, forgiveness, and the seeds of second chances.

Eight years ago, Autumn Joy Worthington, still reeling from the bitter divorce of her Grammy-Award-winning parents, endured the betrayal of a man who’d promised her a wedding. Running from pain seemed the logical response. Reinventing herself in Comfort, Texas, as a lavender grower, she creates a wildly successful gardening haven that draws in tourists and establishes an identity far removed from her parents’ fame. Her mother’s retirement from stardom inspires AJ to offer her refuge and nurse the dream that they could move past old hurts and the tarnish of the music industry … to find friendship. A grandmother in the early stages of dementia and the return of AJ’s father complicate the recovery, but nothing sets the fragile reality spinning like the arrival of Nashville music executive, Luke English.

As Alzheimer’s slowly knocks away the filters of their family, AJ comes to appreciate the true meanings of love and forgiveness — and that the power of redemption can generate from the most unlikely sources. When AJ uncovers the grit to make hard choices, she also discovers that the flowers that bloom the brightest can have the most tangled roots.

Put together some washed up musicians, a cantankerous grandmother, a young woman trying to hold everything together, and a man that sees potential in everything and you have discovered Comfort Songs, a story that will touch your soul and make you laugh and cry all at the same time.

Each chapter starts with a snippet from a book that AJ is writing called Lessons from Lavender Hill.  Knowing the author and her love of the outdoors and plants, this was a natural fit for her and her characters.  The description of the farm brought forth colorful images in my mind as I imagined waves of lavender waving in the wind with the various shades of the lavender plants – so picturesque!

This story has so many facets that engage the reader and invest us in each character and the town of Comfort.  I am not sure who is my favorite character because several really struck home. Inez is AJ’s grandmother and her mind is starting to go and as the story progresses we see how dementia is affecting her and it is heart breaking.  But at the same time, she reveals more about her earlier days with her husband and dealing with her mother-in-law.  July is AJ’s mother and a very talented musician who has had rocky years and has decided to retire.  But is that the right thing for her?  Most likely not since most musicians are musicians until the day they die.  There is always music in their hearts.  Roger is AJ’s dad and he has had his share of issues in the past and Inez has bailed him out a time or two.  He is like Peter Pan, he really hasn’t grown up and it is frustrating to see him leave the responsibility of his mother to AJ.  Luke thought he was coming to Comfort to see July but didn’t expect to meet AJ or fall in love with her.  I enjoyed watching their story unfold, learning about Luke’s past, his hopes and dreams, and how AJ might fit into his life.

Then there is AJ and she is a bit of a hot mess considering who her parents are and the impact they have had on her life.  She is actually quite normal despite that fact but she still has issues.  I enjoyed watching her grow and become more confident in her own skin.

This family has a lot to deal with and like most families, there is one person that is the glue that holds it all together.  That is AJ’s role.  Not one she really wants but accepts wanting to help her family and do what is right.  But while she appears to be the glue, her life isn’t perfect and having everyone home at the same time brings that to light.  Thankfully, Comfort is a small town and AJ has some close friends that help support her and encourage her to lighten up and not shun what is right in front of her face.  Luke plays a large part in that support and he and AJ complete each other.  They may not see it for some time, but it is there.

This book has so much going for it from dramatic scenes to those that will make you laugh.  And then the ending…you’ll have to read the book to see how it turns out!

These are some of my favorite lines (I had more but tried to choose my ultimate favorites):

“This meal made him see he’d underestimated the people involved in July’s story.  They were all mourning things they’d lost.”

“Luke stared at AJ, wondering how she could sound exactly like the woman who walked into this house dirtier than a hound dog, but now, a mere half hour later, appeared a goddess.”

“Did these people even see the layers of effort she put into an ordinary day?  He doubted they had any notion of what she created on the other side of the hill.  They only saw what she could do for them.”

“Was it possible that below the grizzled exterior was a man who felt protective of his cub?”

“They were too much alike.  Too artistic.  Too self-centered.  Too destructive.  Too removed from the one great thing they created together.  the miracle of their gifts – their daughter.”

“Since driving off the interstate, he’s entered a world where a man’s character was judged by how well he could navigate heavy equipment and a fishing rod. And he’d not totally flunked.”

“In all honesty, I’ve always followed a carefully planned course.” His voice dropped for her ears alone. “But you make me want to be a better version of myself, and apparently that means letting go of agendas.”

“Mom has a way of turning the simplest melodies into strings of notes and lyrics that once they’re in your head, you can’t forget.”

“So, a widower and an almost-bride, you know, we’re a lyric waiting to happen.”

 

This book just sings to us and we give it 5 paws up.

Kimberly Fish is a professional writer with almost thirty years of media experience. She’s been telling stories far longer. She published her first novel, a WWII historical fiction novel, because of a true story in her adopted hometown that was too good to ignore.  She quickly followed that success with a sequel. Since then, she’s continued writing fiction and added a contemporary second-chance romance series set in Comfort, Texas, to her list of fun, fast-paced novels. Kimberly lives with her family in East Texas.

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GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!

SIGNED COPY OF COMFORT SONGS

+  HUMMINGBIRD FARMS HAND CREAM & HAND SOAP

OCTOBER 22-NOVEMBER 1, 2019

(U.S. Only)

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