Bennet Family Vacation
920256
Mike can't even stay off the job long enough to take a family vacation even in another state. Excellent read with so many emotions running rampant as u read this book
3022723
The books by James Herriot have provided many enjoyable hours of reading for our entire family of seven.  They have been read and re-read and are just as funny and endearing on repeat readings as on the first one.  We have read them alone and also for family reading.  When someone is reading one of them, it is not uncommon to hear him chuckling to himself or sometimes laughing our loud.  This memoir gave a real picture of the life of this remarkable man and we are grateful to his son for sharing the memories.
204517
Following the sudden death of a parent, Lisa begins plans for a 3 month holiday for 3 grandparents, 2 parents and 2 kids touring many countries around the world from their home in Australia.  The trip was incredibly well planned, but the sad note just before the onset of the trip was the sudden death of one of their 2 dachshunds.  The recounting of places, sited, joys of children (tongue firmly in cheek), and sighting of dachsies is a delight to share.  Near the end of the trip, they were (this was also planned) joined by other family members and friends (bringing the total to 27!) in NYC for Christmas.  It was a wonderful time, and there was a lot of laughter throughout.  A truly enjoyable read!!!
This ebook was provided by the author or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of ReadingDeals.
4166361
I always love a trip back to Gansett Island! This book was like a trip back home. Paul and Hope's story was so sweet. The family aspect of dealing with dementia was so emotional. Such a terrible disease portrayed so well with the perfect loving sons. Hope was the perfect caregiver, never losing her patience. Hope and Paul were perfect together. Paul had been through so much and Hope became literally his hope for his future. I loved having the opportunity to catch up with other members of the island. The McCarthy's and the other residents of Gansett are some of my favorite characters! Thanks for the wonderful trip back Marie Force. It was great!
2109469
This was a wonderful travel from South Africa to the city of Michigan.  The Mitchell clan, Madeline, Don and Joel are an exciting family blessed with the gift of money, and power.  Abigail is a dedicated employee caught in the middle of passion of the heart and loyalty to the company built on a Christian foundation.  I enjoyed traveling from one climate with a view of beautiful water, peace and serenity into the hustle and bustle of city life filled with turmoil, greed, and good old fashioned out of control family feuding.  Joel the youngest son and unfourtunate air to the family business DMI, is a "Hot Mess" of arrogance; and totally out of control. Joel and Madeline along with the rest of the crew will keep you flipping the pages of this spirit filled journey.

Much Respect, Linda Washington-Johnson
JMRC Bold Reviewer President
817718
Just finished this wonderful story about Ben & his wife Dinah & family driving for 3 months around France (Ben is writing a  tour guide book) Its a hilarious entertaining LOL read & I mean LOL !! Brilliant stuff ..one of the best bits is Ben talking his kids & Dinah into smuggling food into Disney Land , so funny & real ! Easy to read great family & had fun getting to know them all . Had to hold back tears at the end & every parent will know why ! Thank you Ben Hatch I'm looking forward to starting your next book .
3659786
First published in 1930 and the first in a long series of books featuring the characters, this novel introduces the Walker children, whose mother is renting a home in England's Lake District during the summer holidays (the father is a naval officer and at sea). John, Susan, Titty, and Roger are wild to camp out on their own on a small island across the lake from the rental home, and since they can all swim (Roger is just a beginner) and sail, their father and mother give them permission. When they arrive on the island in their little sailboat Swallow, they find that someone has camped there previously and they re-use the fireplace the campers have made. They haven't been there long when they meet the previous campers: two tomboyish girls, Nancy and Peggy Blackett, who crew a small sailboat named Amazon and who love playing pirates.

This is one of those wonderful kids' adventures where the children are virtually unsupervised (their mother keeps tabs on them by hearing from the farmer's wife who provides them with milk and other goodies each morning) and just live fancy and free on their own. Once they meet the crew of the Amazon, they engage in a pretend "war" with them to determine which group will have the flagship, and commiserate with the girls about their usually fun uncle, whose writing project has left him ignoring the twountil his houseboat is robbed and they are accused.

Modern parents would be aghast at leaving kids 7 through 14 on an island alone, but both the Walkers and the Blacketts have been taught to be self-reliant and responsible, so they can have fun without all those bothersome adults around, just like when I was a kid. The kids swim, sail, row, hike, and then eat lots of fresh food and homemade treats. Yeah, the sailing terminology sometimes is a little deep, but Ransome explains it well enough that you can figure out what the kids are doing. Just enough mystery and adventure without putting the kids in danger. For a nostalgic look back at kids' vacations in 1929, this one can't be beat.
1042966
I loved the interactions between the Bennet's and the Staff. The storyline of Sarah and James was alway intriguing. I wished the book was longer because I would love to read the continuing story.
3521886
Ah...another trip back to Deep Haven, one of my favorite places to escape to in a book.

In this book, we tag along with John and Ingrid Christiansen. Now that their house is empty and their children are scattered across the globe, they're trying to figure out life with just the two of them, something they haven't experienced in many years. Since none of their children are planning to be home for Christmas this year, John plans to surprise Ingrid with a trip to Europe for just the two of them.  They'll go visit their daughter who is currently living there, but more importantly they'll get to take the romantic vacation John has been dreaming of for a while.  John has the whole thing planned, he just has to keep it a secret and surprise Ingrid at just the right time.  Unfortunately, things don't go as he's planned. John and Ingrid get put in charge of the Christmas program at church, their dog, Butterscotch, gets needs expensive surgery and family needs their help in ways they'd never expected. To top it all off, Ingrid reveals that she's been harboring anger and resentment against John for years. What was supposed to be an amazing holiday season quickly unravels and it seems like every time J0hn tries to "fix" it he ends up messing something else up.  Will life ever be the same for the Christiansen family?

This is one of my favorite books in the Christiansen Family series so far, while the other books focus on the lives of the Christiansen children it was fun to be able to read about the two people that tie the whole family together. The book is shorter than the rest, a novella, but it doesn't tell any less of a story than any of the other books in the series. The depth of the story of John and Ingrid's life together is so great and Susan May Warren did a great job of capturing their love and the way it has ebbed and flowed over their many years of marriage. I also liked that we got to meet a few new characters in this book, hopefully we'll see them again in the future.

If you're looking for a good book to read and maybe start getting you in the holiday spirit, this is the book for you!

Disclaimer:

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.
3063632
We have taken a few vacations with my kids so this has been a great way to show them where we went. They ask questions about the states and it's become a great learning tool!
2300733
This author gave us a Caroline Bingley who was a friend to Elizabeth Bennet.
This author gave us a George Wickham who was a friend to Fitzwilliam Darcy.

And now:
This author gives us a Lady Catherine de Bourgh who is a friend to  EVERYONE!

Lady Catherine befriends the Bennets  all of the Bennets  and in the process
she is also able to befriend her nephew.

The story begins with the Bennet family traveling to Hunsford to meet Cousin Collins
who was unable to visit in Meryton the previous fall.  Lady Catherines nephews
plan their customary Easter visit to Rosings.

SPOILER:  The backstory varies a little from Canon in that Darcy had spent much less time
in Meryton.  He had attended the Assembly (where he makes his usual remarks) and
the evening gathering at Lucas Lodge (where Elizabeth rejects Sir Williams attempt to match ODC in a dance).
Shortly after that, Darcy returns to London.  Bingleys family hosts the Netherfield Ball and leaves town as per canon.
Darcy therefore was not at Netherfield when Jane was taken ill; did not know Wickham was in Meryton
and did not influence Bingley to reject Jane.

Lady Catherine believes Elizabeth would be a good match for her nephew Darcy and
contrives opportunities for them to interact.  This time, its Cousin Anne who holds to the
belief of the cradle betrothal no matter what discouragement she encounters.

Lust is easy. Love is hard. Like is most important. ~Carl Reiner

Bingley  does he have the maturity to actually love?  Lady Catherine believes not.
She has an alternative in mind for Miss Jane.

Lady Catherine also influences the younger sisters for the better as well as being a good friend to Mrs. Bennet!

This is a very low-angst, sweet love story with the only real opposition coming from
Anne de Bourgh and Mr. Collins; although Mother Bennet makes her own confusions.

Some mothers are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same,
and most mothers kiss and scold together. ~Pearl S. Buck
3912375
Cute update on The Bennet's. Enjoyed reading, recommend.
1151764
Meet two families whose lives could not be more different even though they are related! The Drakes consisting of Clive, Susan and their daughter Mildred AKA Millie who is 13, live in England. Susan inherited a large sum of money which Clive invested in a diamond mine. Millie attends an all girls school, transported there by her chauffeur. She spends a lot of time by herself due to her parents other commitments. The Bakers, of whom Mrs. Baker (Alice) is Clive's sister, live hundreds of miles away on a farm with their four children: Phil, twins Abby and Andy (12) and Tom (5). The Baker family enjoys meals together, their dad helps them with their riding skills and teaches science in their homeschool. Devotions are a part of their daily life. Please note that the author does not reveal where the Bakers live in this first book of the series, that comes in book 2.

Abby and Andy are training for a horse show. Mr. Baker is flying to England to help Uncle Clive with an idea Clive has on some new mining equipment. Millie is coming over with her horse, Calvin, to spend ten days at the farm with the rest of the Baker family. The visit does not start out well but Mrs. Baker tells her children to be gracious. Millie likes to boast and will not listen to advice. Pride comes before a fall! The family, although incredulous, handle Millie with grace which is a great lesson for all of us reading the book, young and old alike!

Two nights in a row the horses escape from the paddock and Calvin is missing on both occasions! As Millie suspiciously found him the first time, the other children think she has hidden him the second time and is playing a trick on them. When Millie goes missing as well, at first they just think she is in one of her moods. Knowing that the Bridgeton Auction is on that day they head over there. Can the auctioneer be trusted or does he know something? Has he really seen Millie and Calvin? The story takes on a much more sinister turn when Millie and Abby end up being kidnapped by a jewel thief! Will they ever escape? In the meantime poor Mr. Baker is stuck in England, not able to get a flight home, due to a volcano going off in Iceland! Exciting and suspenseful!

Please note that this book is written by an English author so although the book is not set in England, she does use some English words. A couple of examples are horsebox which in the USA would be a horse trailer and also paddock. Depending on size of the paddock that could be either a corral or field/pasture over here. In fact although I am from England, now living in the USA, I was lead to think that the Bakers just lived in another part of the UK due to all the above vocabulary. It was not until we started book two that I realized otherwise. This book is very well written for the most part although there are a few too many "said so and so" when who is speaking is very obvious so that repetition gets a little monotonous. However, the story is VERY exciting and definitely worth reading. We read this aloud to our 12, 8 & 5 year old and although the younger one wasn't that interested the older two LOVED it. I, as the adult, enjoyed it also. It is book based on conservative Christian principles. It is very clean and the children are extremely respectful to their parents and vice versa. A pleasure to read such a quality story and my hat goes off to the author for taking this stand and writing such a great book. We have already started book 2 in the series.

You cam place this in your child's hands with absolute confidence that they are not going to read anything they shouldn't!
2077886
This is a perfect novel full of charm and family values. An easy vacation read that was worth every minute.
2368674
real trip for the grandchrildren when you take the little ones to the garden.  Well worth the money.  We have not had it long enough to see how resilient it is hiding under a hosta!
2874474
Great family story with likeable characters that takes place in Northern Minnesota. My favorite was Ben, the grouchy old man. Loved it when he got into a confrontation with another man who deserved what he gave him. This is the 4th novel I've read by Deanna Lynn Sletten. I've enjoyed all her books and plan to read more. I listened to this one on audiobook but wanted to leave a review here as well.
4775956
I enjoyed a great deal.  I know one of the guys on the trip, so had a personal interest.  What an adventure they had, will be able to look back on those memories.