User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton is a 2018 Thomas Nelson publication.
Betsy and Ty run the Franklin Dairy Farm located in Southern Alabama. They have made a nice life together, are still in love after nearly a decade of marriage, but there’s still one thing missing from Betsy’s life.
When Betsy’s sister, Jenna, calls out of the blue asking if she can watch her daughters for a couple of weeks so she can attend an art retreat, Betsy agrees without really thinking it through or talking to Ty first.
When two girls arrive, they bring the farm to life and deepens a longing in Betsy that exposes some cracks in her otherwise stable relationship with Ty. Meanwhile, Jenna rediscovers her photography, seeing a way to provide for her girls with a job she loves- but she’ll have to leave her girls with Betsy for longer than she originally planned…
Meanwhile a hurricane is developing- one that could be headed straight for the Franklin Dairy farm-
This story explores the relationships between parents and children and siblings and examines the marriage of a couple trying to work through a bitter disappointment to find a common ground again.
Jenna may have been the one to have experienced the most personal growth- learning to balance her responsibilities with pursuing her dreams, but for me it was Betsy and Ty that held my heart in their hands.
I also liked the relationship between the two sisters, which also showed a lot of character growth as they worked came to realize the way their upbringing shaped them, and how to put preconceived notions, judgments and resentments in the past.
The story is a little ‘quiet’ at times, and I failed to fully connect to Jenna’s side of the storyline, becoming as frustrated with her as Ty did.
That said, I loved how the author was able to build the emotional tension to coincide with the intensity and path of the hurricane. Both events brought imminent danger and created two separate forms of suspense.
Mostly, this is lovely, heartwarming story. The drama is well written and balanced- although there is nothing here that is especially profound or memorable. Still, I loved Ty and enjoyed the realistic look at family and marriage and the gentle life lessons centered around the importance of communication.
3 stars
Rating: really liked it
Marriage. Sibling Relationships. Motherhood.
Jenna and Betsy are sisters who took different paths in life. Betsy is married to Ty and lives on their farm in Alabama. Betsy, who longs for a child of her own, keeps busy on the farm hosting local school students on field trips to learn about farming and animals. Jenna is the free spirit and single mother of two young girls. She works in a coffee shop but yearns to be a photographer professionally.
Jenna leaves her children with her sister Betsy after accepting an invitation to attend a two-week art retreat in Florida. Having her nieces around, Betsy is reminded of what she doesn't have - children. As a Hurricane is making way toward land, Ty and Betsy enjoy the children's company but tension, like the coming storm, begins to brew around them.
At the retreat, Jenna thinks of what might have been and dreams of her future. Can her dream be realized? Can she become a professional photographer? Will she have to sacrifice anything to obtain her dream?
It all boils down to communication. Betsy and Jenna needed to communicate better with each other. Both had issues and concerns in her life but never shared those with her sister. Betsy and Ty were living together but had a chasm of longing for a child between them. Betsy kept her longing and sadness bottled up inside.
The characters in this book are dealing with real life issues that many face - single motherhood, the stress of supporting a family, sibling bonds/relationships, infertility, Motherhood, following one's dreams, marriage, and coping with Mother nature. I enjoyed the farm life and reading about how the young girls enjoyed being around the farm animals, but there was just a little bit of something missing in this book for me. For a book which dealt with many issues, it felt a little bland for me. It was still an enjoyable read but I would have liked a little more oomph or drama perhaps. Everyone was very polite while dealing with their issues. I enjoyed Betsy and Ty's story-line much more than Jenna's. I found myself wanting Jenna's part to hurry up, so I could get back to the farm and learn if Betsy and Ty had settled the storm which was brewing between and within them. I also found that I wanted a little bit more about the Hurricane itself. I found it interesting that the cows were safer in a back field during a hurricane than in the barn.
Overall, an enjoyable book about relationships, following your dreams, second chances and hope.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookpost.com
Rating: really liked it
4 “the storm is coming” stars to Hurricane Season! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Lauren Denton’s sophomore novel, Hurricane Season, is told in three alternating voices: Jenna, the younger, flighty sister and single mother; Ty, the rugged dairy farmer and husband; and Betsy, the older, responsible sister to Jenna and wife to Ty.
Jenna is a budding artist-slash-coffee barista manager, and the opportunity of a lifetime comes her way one summer. The problem is, who will take care of her kids while she pursues it?
Betsy and her husband Ty have been struggling with infertility while also enjoying a quiet life on their farm. Of course Betsy agrees to take care of Jenna’s girls for the summer, and all the while, a hurricane is brewing.
Jenna and Betsy’s relationship is explored as each sister struggles to accomplish something different, something that feels far out-of-reach to each of them. Will these sisters find true happiness?
Hurricane Season is a character-driven novel with three true-to-life, relatable, loving main characters, flawless writing, and a quaint and engaging southern farm setting.
Thank you to Lauren Denton, Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley for the ARC. Hurricane Season is available now!
Rating: really liked it
Whenever Lauren K. Denton puts out another book, I'm there. I find her books to be great comfort reads, the kind of book you can relax into. They are strikingly atmospheric, she has a gift for making you feel like you're right there with the characters. In this book, we are both on a secluded artist's retreat with a single mother who is a budding photographer, and on a dairy farm with a husband and wife who clearly love each other but have let their difficulties conceiving come between them. The latter may not sound like a great setting, but it's actually warm and fun to read about. I found it to be even more engaging than the first.
Jenna has been slinging coffee at a local shop for quite some time now. It's not the best job, but she enjoys her co-workers and it supports her little family. She has two little girls who think the world of her, and no help from their father. She long ago abandoned her dream of being a serious photographer, but has started dabbling again in her spare time. When a good friend extends an invitation to an incredibly exclusive retreat for artists, it's almost laughable at first. How can she leave her children for two weeks, leave her job? But there is the money she's been saving for a vacation... and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. She's soon phoning her sister, pleading with her to take care of her kids while she's away.
Betsy can't say no to her sister. Her husband
Ty isn't as enthused about having two little visitors for a couple of weeks at first, but soon warms to the charming kids. Throwing two more people into their busy lives on the farm still adds some tension. Unbeknownst to little sister Jenna, Betsy and Ty had been trying to have a child of their own, but things didn't work out. Close to turning 30 with little hope of the thing she wants most, Betsy has been pushing Ty away. As two weeks stretch into even longer and the girls begin to wonder if their mother is coming back for them anytime soon, Betsy and Ty have to protect their farm from a hurricane and it becomes clear that this summer will make or break their marriage.
Super enjoyable story for me, ideal for curling up on the couch and getting lost in the words. I found the characters to be fun to read and the situations certainly interesting enough to keep my attention. If you enjoyed The Hideaway, I think you'll like this one too. If you haven't read either, get on it!
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Thomas Nelson, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
Rating: really liked it
For me, this book was a bit of a struggle. The writing is well done and the plot is solid. I just didn't feel much of a connection to the characters and the pace was slow. I kept anticipating a big reveal or tragedy or transformation... There was growth within our main characters: two sisters who had grown apart through their adult years. The emotional distance between them was only compounded by the literal physical distance in miles as they lead extremely different lives.
So if you are looking for genuine and realistic fiction, this is a commendable novel. I tend to gravitate towards energetic action stories, even if the story is more rational and less fantasy.
Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an advance reader's copy in exchange for this honest review.
Rating: really liked it
3 pleasant stars
Sometimes you just have to read a book where there is no murder, no lying, no mayhem, and no death and this was just such a book.
A storm is approaching and it looks to be a bad one, a hurricane in fact. Things will be lost, possessions, homes, and maybe even lives. It is surely the time to remember what is important and what one can bring forward in their lives.
Betsy Franklin and her sister, Jenna have had a bit of a distant relationship. Jenna is a single mother of two young girls and when she gets an opportunity to attend a camp for artists, she takes up the challenge. She decides to drop her girls into the hands of her sister, Betsy, and her husband, Ty, at their farm. Betsy and her husband, have been trying unsuccessfully to have a child. Their relationship is strained and the addition of these two girls might add fuel to a fire that is slowly burning.
This novel does a very nice job of exploring the concept of following your dreams. Does that mean though that one can forget about what awaits them especially where children are involved? I enjoyed this novel that focused on caring, that of a mother for her child, a sister for another sister, a husband for a wife, and the goal of always remembering there are second chances out there for those who are willing to go find them.
Thank you to Lauren Denton, Thomas Nelson Publishers, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel.
Rating: really liked it
Hurricane Season by Lauren K. Denton was a bit of a difficult read for me.
I found the pacing to be extremely slow and I felt like there wasn't much happening throughout the majority of the novel. I was left with wanting more from our two main characters and it just fell pretty flat for me.
The writing is beautiful and complex but I found myself skimming through a lot of the story because it just felt pretty boring to me. I was waiting for that big change or transformation between our sisters Betsy and Jenna.. and it never came. I found myself unable to connect well with the characters and it was hard for me to get overall invested in this one.
Overall, this one was just ok.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the advanced arc in exchange for my honest review.
Published to GR: 3/31/18
Publication date: 4/3/18
Rating: really liked it
Favorite Quotes:
… the battered gray school bus from Bankston Detention pulled up out front, and twenty teenage boys shuffled off, hormones and pent-up energy swirling around them like almost visible steam.
She smoothed her hands across the blanket, straightened the corners, and imagined the room holding two little girls after holding nothing but dreams and damaged furniture.
Jenna always hated icebreakers like this. They reminded her of the week in college when she lost her mind and thought she might actually want to join a sorority. Five grueling days of prim parties, saccharine conversation, and ridiculous icebreakers where one by one, girls explained through tears how their future happiness depended on having a certain arrangement of Greek letters tied to her name.
It’s what I do when these storms come in. I bake till the power goes off, then I eat. It keeps me calm. And fifteen pounds over my goal, but calories consumed during acts of God don’t count.
My Review:
Lauren Denton has gifted us with a stealthily crafted and slowly developing yet highly satisfying story with most of the action and progression of the narrative occurring within the major characters’ inner musings, memories, regrets, and observations. Their exteriors were quiet and politely guarded, while their interiors were fraught with a myriad of concerns, tension, heartbreaking disappointments, and unspoken aspirations. The writing was emotive and Ms. Denton took me into the story with her highly descriptive and lushly detailed scenes; I felt the pressure of the humid heat of the gathering storm as well as the crack of heat lightning, and I coveted their refreshing and lip-smacking lemonade and sweet tea. The characters were multi-layered and complex, surprisingly gentle and sweet, and cleverly observant. I enjoyed hitchhiking in their headspace although I now seem to be contending with an unusual impulse to dig in the dirt and plant something just to watch it grow.
Rating: really liked it
Storms have this beautiful dual quality, they bring about destruction and they also show the strength in all those who weather them. So also are the storms of life, they change life drastically, but sometimes they also pave the way to start life afresh.
Hurricane Season by Lauren Denton is one such book which shows strength of family relationships in the face of storms of life. Two sisters, Betsy and Jenna both different in their outlook, but yet similar in many ways, Betsy who is childless, is asked to look after her nieces while Jenna attends a photography camp. Betsy and her husband Ty, after going through a lot of tests for fertility issues, are struggling to find a balance in their childless relationship, and with the two girls thrown into the equation, suddenly find themselves managing both the farm and the girls in the face of nature's Hurricane.
My first book by Laura Denton, the chapters are written in all the 3 three main characters' point of view, and it is refreshing to see life through their eyes. The emotions of self-discovery, healing, acceptance, and love for each other is what sustains life and relationships, and this is shown beautifully by Lauren. It is nice to see how the bond between the sisters which was strong growing up, frayed as life moves on, yet somehow manages to reaffirm itself as the chapters flow.
I loved the way the author has used the Hurricane Ingrid as the backdrop for life and its lessons, where each of the characters find their own path to peace and happiness. The chapters flow seamlessly and style of writing makes this an easy read. I just felt that the ending is a wee bit rushed. But the emotions of hope and dreams of a happy future are what remains even after the book ends.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Thomas Nelson, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Rating: really liked it
Oh, how I adored this book.
*
It's such a richly layered, but soft, story of family with an amazing sense of place. Denton brings the Gulf Coast region of Alabama to vivid life in this book ~ an area I definitely have a soft spot for. Betsy and Ty's marriage and life on their Alabama dairy farm, along with their struggle to conceive, are given such tender treatment that even though nothing about their life is easy, it made me instantly want to be THERE. In their house, on their farm, in their family. The other main part of the book is about Betsy's sister and her pursuit of her photography dreams.......at the cost of her two daughters, whom she leaves with Betsy and Ty. This relationship is also written with such compassion that despite the tensions that exist, it's an enviable example of sisterly support. Beyond that, all I can really say is that I wanted to hug this book the entire time I was reading it and never wanted it to end.
*
I highly recommend this book for fans of chaste domestic fiction ~ it reminded me on a few levels of PERENNIALS by Julie Cantrell, which I also very much enjoyed.
Rating: really liked it
Southern Fiction novel about sisters, motherhood and life decisions. Betsy and Jenna's story is set in Alabama, Tennessee and Florida during July and August, a part of hurricane season. I especially loved the ending. The cover is beautiful.
Rating: really liked it
4.5 stars. Storms can bring great destruction, but they can also bring a time for discovering what lasts, what holds together even through the harshest weather, and what comes out better for the rain. Hurricane Season is a book truly evocative of Southern summer and which captures the complications of family relationships, the desire to see dreams fulfilled, and the trials that test marriages and break hearts.
When Betsy receives a voice message from her sister, Jenna, asking if she can leave her two young girls with her while she attends a photography camp, Betsy knows it will test everything inside her. It will bring back the harsh memories of negative test results and the guest room that never became a nursery. It will strain further her relationship with her husband, something that was only now slowly returning to normal. But Betsy never says no to her sister and so two sweet, young girls descend on Betsy and Ty's farm and home. For Jenna it is a time to finally follow her dreams of photography. For Betsy and Ty it is a time of facing the past's hurt and faded dreams, while reconnecting as a couple. But as a hurricane looms, will this family survive everything the summer has in store for them?
Once again, Lauren K. Denton entwines a story of healing and discovery with a perfectly captured setting. The scenery is almost an extra character. The summery days, the firefly-filled nights, the howling wind, and lashing rain all perfectly reflect the mood and themes of the story.
There are a number of stories which feature in Hurricane Season - Betsy and Ty's story as a couple, their individual stories of healing and acceptance, and of course Jenna's story as she searches for her purpose and what this means when trying to mother two young children. Each story plays its part in this book and provides a layered and detailed plot, strong characters who are easy to love, and, of course, that gorgeous setting. I loved very minute spent on Ty and Betsy's dairy farm, loved the little descriptions of the regular work and the animals. The chapters from Jenna's perspective also take the reader on her journey of recovering her skills as a photographer and exploring the wilds of the untamed South. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of these three main characters.
I think I fell a little in love with Ty. He has an incredible work ethic. He is slow to speak, yet everything he says is considered and thoughtful. I loved his love, care, and protectiveness of Betsy. I loved that he loved her complications and saw it as his job as husband to be there for her and to figure out what she needed, even if she couldn't speak the words. Their relationship journey was wonderful to witness. They have faced something that has tested their bond, but together, with a few hiccups along the way, they put each other first
This book, while published by at traditionally Christian inspirational publisher, fits somewhere between a Christian novel and general fiction. I believe readers of both categories will enjoy this delightful story. Betsy and Ty are Christians, attend church a few times in the novel and mention prayer, but faith does not dominate the storyline in any way. Instead, the growth of the characters and their journey of reconciliation, acceptance. and direction for the future is the focus of this book. The ending, I thought, was truly wonderful. I loved that it is hopeful, but doesn't brush over the fact that sometimes dreams change or might look a little different than first expected.
Hurricane Season is a beautiful novel of relationships, family, futures, farming, hope, love, and fireflies.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.
Rating: really liked it
Lauren Denton has done it again! She manages to immerse you in a family, a lifestyle, a storm & life changing events and make it all so descriptive you become absorbed immediately. The characters are so relatable & the storm adds a bit of an excited frenzy. And it also happens to have a beautiful cover that you can’t stop looking at!
Thanks to LD for this early signed copy:)
Rating: really liked it
This is my 2nd book by Lauren Denton (The Hideaway) which I absolutely loved. This one was just ok. It was slow moving and I felt myself skimming parts of the story. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: really liked it
I expected the hurricane to play a major role but it was barely there. Not even mentioned until Part 7 of 10. It literally had no bearing on the book’s events at all. Disappointed.
