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Southern Discomfort #3
Restless in Carolina
She’s all about going green. Could he be her white knight—or will he make her see red?
Tree-huggin’, animal-lovin’ Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan is on a mission. Well, two. First she has to come to terms with being a widow at thirty-three. After all, it’s been four years and even her five-year-old niece and nephew think it’s time she shed her widow’s weeds. Second, she needs to find a buyer for her family’s estate—a Biltmore-inspired mansion surrounded by hundreds of acres of unspoiled forestland. With family obligations forcing the sale, Bridget is determined to find an eco-friendly developer to buy the land, someone who won’t turn it into single-family homes or a cheesy theme park.
Enter J. C. Dirk, a high-energy developer from Atlanta whose green property developments have earned him national acclaim. When he doesn’t return her calls, Bridget decides a personal visit is in order. Unfortunately, J. C. Dirk is neither amused nor interested when she interrupts his meeting—until she mentions her family name. In short order, he finds himself in North Carolina, and Bridget has her white knight—in more ways than one. But there are things Bridget doesn’t know about J. C., and it could mean the end of everything she’s worked for…and break her heart.
Tree-huggin’, animal-lovin’ Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan is on a mission. Well, two. First she has to come to terms with being a widow at thirty-three. After all, it’s been four years and even her five-year-old niece and nephew think it’s time she shed her widow’s weeds. Second, she needs to find a buyer for her family’s estate—a Biltmore-inspired mansion surrounded by hundreds of acres of unspoiled forestland. With family obligations forcing the sale, Bridget is determined to find an eco-friendly developer to buy the land, someone who won’t turn it into single-family homes or a cheesy theme park.
Enter J. C. Dirk, a high-energy developer from Atlanta whose green property developments have earned him national acclaim. When he doesn’t return her calls, Bridget decides a personal visit is in order. Unfortunately, J. C. Dirk is neither amused nor interested when she interrupts his meeting—until she mentions her family name. In short order, he finds himself in North Carolina, and Bridget has her white knight—in more ways than one. But there are things Bridget doesn’t know about J. C., and it could mean the end of everything she’s worked for…and break her heart.
339 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2011
About the author
Tamara Leigh
55 books932 followersTamara Leigh signed a 4-book contract with Bantam Books in 1993, her debut medieval romance was nominated for a RITA award, and successive books with Bantam, HarperCollins, and Dorchester earned awards and appeared on national bestseller lists.
In 2006, the first of Tamara’s inspirational contemporary romances was published, followed by six more with Multnomah and RandomHouse. Perfecting Kate was optioned for a movie, Splitting Harriet won an ACFW Book of the Year award, and Faking Grace was nominated for a RITA award.
In 2012, Tamara returned to writing historical romance with the release of Dreamspell and the bestselling Age of Faith and The Feud series. Among her #1 bestsellers are her general market romances rewritten as clean and inspirational reads, including Lady at Arms and Lady of Conquest. In late 2018, she released Merciless, the first book in the new AGE OF CONQUEST series, followed by Fearless and Nameless, unveiling the origins of the Wulfrith family. Psst!—It all began with a woman. Watch for Heartless in Spring 2020.
Tamara lives near Nashville with her husband, a German Shepherd who has never met a squeaky toy she can’t destroy, and a feisty Morkie who keeps her company during long writing stints.
Connect with Tamara at her website www.tamaraleigh.com, Facebook, Twitter and tamaraleightenn@gmail.com.
In 2006, the first of Tamara’s inspirational contemporary romances was published, followed by six more with Multnomah and RandomHouse. Perfecting Kate was optioned for a movie, Splitting Harriet won an ACFW Book of the Year award, and Faking Grace was nominated for a RITA award.
In 2012, Tamara returned to writing historical romance with the release of Dreamspell and the bestselling Age of Faith and The Feud series. Among her #1 bestsellers are her general market romances rewritten as clean and inspirational reads, including Lady at Arms and Lady of Conquest. In late 2018, she released Merciless, the first book in the new AGE OF CONQUEST series, followed by Fearless and Nameless, unveiling the origins of the Wulfrith family. Psst!—It all began with a woman. Watch for Heartless in Spring 2020.
Tamara lives near Nashville with her husband, a German Shepherd who has never met a squeaky toy she can’t destroy, and a feisty Morkie who keeps her company during long writing stints.
Connect with Tamara at her website www.tamaraleigh.com, Facebook, Twitter and tamaraleightenn@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
July 15, 2019
This book was hilarious as a tom-boyish girl tried to get a deal with a pristine millionaire- and ends up getting his attention. What follows is an interesting circumstance of pursuing love and business simultaneously- and seeing which one will win in the end.
September 28, 2020
Restless in Carolina wraps up another wonderful series by Tamara Leigh! I have to be honest and say that I was worried about whether or not I’d like this story. I usually don’t read books about widows and Bridget is not only a widow, she’s also a tree hugger with a pet opossum that tries, but really doesn’t know how to play dead! I shouldn’t have worried at all! I loved everything about this story! I loved the humor, the creative storyline, the unexpected twists, every aspect of Bridget’s growth, especially her relationship with God, and yes, even Reggie the opossum!
Bridget’s growth during this story was so well done! I loved how she went from who she was at the beginning of the story to who she was at the end of the story. It felt so real and so believable. I also loved J.C., his growth, and his relationship with Bridget. There were several times during this story that I thought I knew exactly how things would turn out and, thankfully, I was wrong! I also loved how a scene from the beginning of the story was “re-enacted” at the end! Perfection!!
I’m so sad this series is over! And I’m even more sad that I’ve read all of Tamara Leigh’s contemporary stories. Thankfully, I haven’t read all of her medievals yet!
Bridget’s growth during this story was so well done! I loved how she went from who she was at the beginning of the story to who she was at the end of the story. It felt so real and so believable. I also loved J.C., his growth, and his relationship with Bridget. There were several times during this story that I thought I knew exactly how things would turn out and, thankfully, I was wrong! I also loved how a scene from the beginning of the story was “re-enacted” at the end! Perfection!!
I’m so sad this series is over! And I’m even more sad that I’ve read all of Tamara Leigh’s contemporary stories. Thankfully, I haven’t read all of her medievals yet!
May 31, 2018
This one was my favorite of the Southern Discomfort series. Sadly it is the last of the series. I've grown to really like the Pickwick family. Like the other two this one had me laughing at times in the book. The antics of Bridget's niece and nephew kept me in stitches. I like the romance in this one better than the previous. I think Bridget and J.C. had chemistry from the get-go.
September 2, 2018
I read this on #KindleUnlimited
September 20, 2021
Losing her husband catapulted Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan into a grief-filled life. Four years later, it seems everyone around her is in a relationship, but her true undoing is a persistent little niece who just wants to read a happily-ever-after book. After a confrontation with her sister, Bridget takes the first steps toward a new life: removing the wedding band and a mini-makeover. In an effort to help her uncle sell the family mansion, Bridget approaches property developer J. C. Dirk. J.C. is known for his green developments and he just might be her answer to more than one problem. With family obligations forcing the sale, time is of the essence. Will Bridget and J.C. reach an understanding? Will he take possession of her heart as well as the land? Bridget's life is about to be a lot more interesting.
Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh is the third book in her Carolina series. I haven't read the other two books and this one did well as a stand-alone. I appreciated the “green” theme in the book. It wasn't overdone in a fanatical way, but it was a prevalent statement about respecting and preserving the earth. I am happy to say that this book was not as predictable as I thought it might be from the synopsis on the back cover. Leigh throws in a few twists which contribute tension to the plot. Bridget's faults and unique personality make her an endearing character. The imagery of a woman with dreadlocks, in a stiff bridesmaid dress, standing barefoot in the middle of the road ,stuck with me the entire time I was reading the book.
Fans of contemporary romance who enjoy sweet, light stories will enjoy this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as part of FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Restless in Carolina by Tamara Leigh is the third book in her Carolina series. I haven't read the other two books and this one did well as a stand-alone. I appreciated the “green” theme in the book. It wasn't overdone in a fanatical way, but it was a prevalent statement about respecting and preserving the earth. I am happy to say that this book was not as predictable as I thought it might be from the synopsis on the back cover. Leigh throws in a few twists which contribute tension to the plot. Bridget's faults and unique personality make her an endearing character. The imagery of a woman with dreadlocks, in a stiff bridesmaid dress, standing barefoot in the middle of the road ,stuck with me the entire time I was reading the book.
Fans of contemporary romance who enjoy sweet, light stories will enjoy this book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher as part of FIRST Wild Card Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
August 7, 2011
Before I even started this book, I knew the main character was going to be very unique, but I was not prepared for just how different she would be. First off, she had dreadlocks (not that they're bad, just not all that common). Then, she's so nature-loving she stops a woman in the middle of the road and yells at her for throwing her gum out of her window. But furthermore, when Bridget gets home (with no shoes because she likes being barefoot) she has an opossum. As a pet. So needless to say, the main character of this book is quite something. Bridget's personality though, is what made me like this book so much. It was really sad how she was still trying to recover from her husband's death when he's been gone for four years, but I loved how her whole dysfunctional family was trying to help her get over it. J.C. was another character I loved because even though he was this rich businessman, he still cares about people and the environment and his past isn't so perfect either. There were many funny moments and sad moments in this book, but there were also few moments where it was a bit boring. Other than those boring times, this book was very entertaining to read. I didn't read the first two books in this series (it's not necessary to) but after reading this, I wouldn't be surprised if I picked one of them up in the future. So overall this was a fun read with a nice southern twist to it.
February 18, 2020
I cannot help it. Once this book jumped in my hands from the ridiculously big box and tons of packaging that accompanied it to my door step I could not help but read it. Immediately. My introduction to Tamara Leigh was in the first Carolina novel in Leaving Carolina and I was hooked. I am pretty certain I then went on to read Nowhere, Carolina as soon as I got my hands on it as well. I really do need to read some of her other Contemporary Romantic Comedies that I've seen here and there. I know I have at least one of them on my shelves somewhere...
This book has grief, it has real life and it has comedy and romance and true true love in both a family sense as well as in a couple matched sense. I love it beginning to end and highly recommend the read.
Originally published: http://wp.me/pYHD5-2ir
This book has grief, it has real life and it has comedy and romance and true true love in both a family sense as well as in a couple matched sense. I love it beginning to end and highly recommend the read.
Originally published: http://wp.me/pYHD5-2ir
July 29, 2011
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. Bridget did not sound like the type of person I could relate or really like all that much. I wanted to read this book though because I like Tamara Leigh, and I especially like this series.
I was surprised by how much I liked Bridget. There was plenty about her I could relate to and it did not take long before I found myself rooting for her. On the outside, she is a tough, sassy woman, but on the inside, she is a lonely and grieving woman. I wanted so badly to see her get her “happily ever after”. So, not only was Bridget a delightful and endearing character, Restless in Carolina was exactly the type of book I look forward to reading. Tamara Leigh has become one of those authors whose books appeal to me in a big way. I am always pleasantly surprised by my level of enjoyment each time I get to read one of her books.
Restless in Carolina is a delightful and fast read that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to read a story that will leave you feeling good about life and love. I have really enjoyed this series and I hope that Tamara is hard at work on her next book!
I was surprised by how much I liked Bridget. There was plenty about her I could relate to and it did not take long before I found myself rooting for her. On the outside, she is a tough, sassy woman, but on the inside, she is a lonely and grieving woman. I wanted so badly to see her get her “happily ever after”. So, not only was Bridget a delightful and endearing character, Restless in Carolina was exactly the type of book I look forward to reading. Tamara Leigh has become one of those authors whose books appeal to me in a big way. I am always pleasantly surprised by my level of enjoyment each time I get to read one of her books.
Restless in Carolina is a delightful and fast read that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to read a story that will leave you feeling good about life and love. I have really enjoyed this series and I hope that Tamara is hard at work on her next book!
February 26, 2011
I read an advance copy of this book, and loved it. If you want a fun read, I recommend it. I'll post my review when the book is released.
January 20, 2018
Perfect trilogy wrap-up
I’ve come to the conclusion that Tamara Leigh needs to come back to writing contemporary romance again. This trilogy is just too much fun, the characters too lovable, and the emotions too real for fans of the genre to be left waiting while the historical fans get to soak up all her talent. I’ve already reviewed the other two books in the series, so I’ll simply add that it was an excellent finale. As much as Spring Bridget would hate me saying it, Fall Bridget would agree that everyone’s happily...ever...afters are pulled together beautifully.
I’ve come to the conclusion that Tamara Leigh needs to come back to writing contemporary romance again. This trilogy is just too much fun, the characters too lovable, and the emotions too real for fans of the genre to be left waiting while the historical fans get to soak up all her talent. I’ve already reviewed the other two books in the series, so I’ll simply add that it was an excellent finale. As much as Spring Bridget would hate me saying it, Fall Bridget would agree that everyone’s happily...ever...afters are pulled together beautifully.
June 12, 2023
I would never have picked up a Christian romance on my own, this was due to a prompt for ecological theme. I'm glad I took a chance on this book; it wasn't preachy, the leads were struggling with their faith given personal setbacks. It has a lot of heart and obviously I could relate to the hippie lead and the pressure to be more conventional to succeed in this world. I wish their relationship were more developed for the love to be more convincing.
August 31, 2019
A very good series finale
I truly enjoyed this series and I think this was my favorite. I love Bridget's "self-talk" and internal chats/debates with God. She draws you into her world with her quirky beliefs and caring. All the characters are interesting and I enjoyed every moment. I was hoping the next books would include J.C.'s brothers..... Hint hint.
I truly enjoyed this series and I think this was my favorite. I love Bridget's "self-talk" and internal chats/debates with God. She draws you into her world with her quirky beliefs and caring. All the characters are interesting and I enjoyed every moment. I was hoping the next books would include J.C.'s brothers..... Hint hint.
December 19, 2017
Loved it
My husband and I share this account, so it may seem he has strange but varied taste in books. I’ve been a reader for 40+ years. It’s getting hard to find a book that doesn’t bore me. This series has been great. Not explicit. Well edited. Funny.
My husband and I share this account, so it may seem he has strange but varied taste in books. I’ve been a reader for 40+ years. It’s getting hard to find a book that doesn’t bore me. This series has been great. Not explicit. Well edited. Funny.
January 31, 2018
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would like this book because I wasn’t sure If i liked Bridget. However, I was happy to see I was wrong. It was clean and cute. I like who she became and the love angle. Fun read.
September 17, 2019
Another great read by Tamara Leigh!
This was an enjoyable series. If you're looking for a light, fun read it hits the spot. Humor, romance and a little conflict in a book you can give to your mom.
This was an enjoyable series. If you're looking for a light, fun read it hits the spot. Humor, romance and a little conflict in a book you can give to your mom.
May 6, 2023
It took me a bit longer to read this one compared to the others. It moved a bit more slowly for me but it was good to conclude the series though and there were a couple of twists in the plot that were interesting to read.
September 24, 2017
I didn't expect the ending. Lots of great humor with a lot of truth about human nature.
May 3, 2018
Bridget and J. C.’s story was an enjoyable and satisfying end to the series. Well done, Ms. Leigh!
February 17, 2019
Cute little Southern romance.
March 30, 2019
Enjoyable ending to the series. Love her writing.
April 29, 2019
Yes. It was predictable, but it was also absolutely delightful. The best of chick lit.
Read
January 26, 2022Didn't like.
September 26, 2011
http://www.chicklitaholic.blogspot.com
Restless In Carolina is the third novel in the Southern Discomfort series; following on from Leaving Carolina and Nowhere Carolina. I was excited to read this new novel in the series, as I always enjoy seeing how authors depict the south in particularly the Carolina’s, which is where I now live. I was excited to see how Restless in Carolina would pan out and could not wait to get started on this novel.
Bridget Pickwick is trying hard to overcome the death of her husband, Easton, but after four years things just aren’t getting any easier. Everyone around her seems to think that it is time she ditched her widow’s weeds and started living her life. On top of that she needs to find a buyer for her family’s estate, and not just any buyer, but someone who will keep the estate in its natural form, as eco-friendly as possible rather than turning it into a housing. Bridget thinks she may have found just in the man in JC Dirk, whose company has been developing green properties for years. JC however, is not amused when Bridget decides to gatecrash one of his meetings in order to get his attention, until she mentions the family name that is. JC finds himself more than interested not only in the property but also perhaps in Bridget herself!
The plot itself is based on a concept which is tried and tested with the southern girl and the city boy. I did enjoy the element Tamara Leigh brings in with trying to find a green buyer for the estate. I felt that this stopped the novel from being something that has been done many times before. Even though this is the third novel in the Southern Discomfort series, the novel still flows easily whether you have read the previous two novels or not. While I would recommend that you do read the previous novels in the series, it is defiantly not necessary in forming an understanding of the plot, and this novel does work well as a stand alone too.
I really enjoyed reading about the character of Bridget. Even though she is an almost polar opposite of myself, I loved her tough character and found her to be extremely grounded. Her tough attitude is chipped away at in this novel, revealing a hilarious, poignant and down to earth woman. I really enjoyed seeing the vulnerable side of Bridget and the way in which she deals with her grief over the loss of her husband, makes her extremely likeable. I also liked the character of JC who I found entertaining, humours and handsome. I loved reading the interaction between Bridget and JC, which had me wondering all along if they would realize that they are perfect for each other. I could not figure JC’s secret out until the point where he tells it. Its very rare for me to find a novel in which I can’t see what is coming on the next page, therefore I found this refreshing. Another favourite character of mine was Uncle Obe, who even though he is dealing with the on set of dementia, is still hilarious and comes out with some very funny lines. He is also a very generous and humble man, who brings great depth to the storyline.
I had one big problem with Restless In Carolina and that was that I felt a lot of the time religion was being pushed down my throat. I am very open in my beliefs and do mind reading about any religion or religious views, however I do like when it is mentioned on almost every page. I felt as though the authors views on religion were forefront throughout the novel. I understand that Tamara Leigh wanted to bring her faith into her writing and make her novels more God-honouring, however I just felt that the way in which it was brought across was not to my tastes. I do not enjoy being preached at through a novel and feel that a little toning down of this could have gone a long way to improving the novel. My other issue with the novel was the use of stereotypes. I myself live in South Carolina and I did not enjoy the way in which there were stereotypical southern characters, who all had stereotypical southern names. I know that many people love these aspects of southern life and reading about this in a novel, but personally I myself am not one of them. I would have liked the characters to be unique people rather than stereotypes of how southern people are perceived.
Overall I did enjoy reading Restless In Carolina. I found the novel to be humorous, filled with romance and southern charm. The characters fit really well with the plot and I really found myself wanting to find out what happened. There is a strong message throughout this novel, which I commend Tamara Leigh for putting into her work. I would recommend Restless In Carolina to anyone who enjoys a romance novel sprinkled with southern charm. I will be reading more from Tamara Leigh in the future.
Restless In Carolina is the third novel in the Southern Discomfort series; following on from Leaving Carolina and Nowhere Carolina. I was excited to read this new novel in the series, as I always enjoy seeing how authors depict the south in particularly the Carolina’s, which is where I now live. I was excited to see how Restless in Carolina would pan out and could not wait to get started on this novel.
Bridget Pickwick is trying hard to overcome the death of her husband, Easton, but after four years things just aren’t getting any easier. Everyone around her seems to think that it is time she ditched her widow’s weeds and started living her life. On top of that she needs to find a buyer for her family’s estate, and not just any buyer, but someone who will keep the estate in its natural form, as eco-friendly as possible rather than turning it into a housing. Bridget thinks she may have found just in the man in JC Dirk, whose company has been developing green properties for years. JC however, is not amused when Bridget decides to gatecrash one of his meetings in order to get his attention, until she mentions the family name that is. JC finds himself more than interested not only in the property but also perhaps in Bridget herself!
The plot itself is based on a concept which is tried and tested with the southern girl and the city boy. I did enjoy the element Tamara Leigh brings in with trying to find a green buyer for the estate. I felt that this stopped the novel from being something that has been done many times before. Even though this is the third novel in the Southern Discomfort series, the novel still flows easily whether you have read the previous two novels or not. While I would recommend that you do read the previous novels in the series, it is defiantly not necessary in forming an understanding of the plot, and this novel does work well as a stand alone too.
I really enjoyed reading about the character of Bridget. Even though she is an almost polar opposite of myself, I loved her tough character and found her to be extremely grounded. Her tough attitude is chipped away at in this novel, revealing a hilarious, poignant and down to earth woman. I really enjoyed seeing the vulnerable side of Bridget and the way in which she deals with her grief over the loss of her husband, makes her extremely likeable. I also liked the character of JC who I found entertaining, humours and handsome. I loved reading the interaction between Bridget and JC, which had me wondering all along if they would realize that they are perfect for each other. I could not figure JC’s secret out until the point where he tells it. Its very rare for me to find a novel in which I can’t see what is coming on the next page, therefore I found this refreshing. Another favourite character of mine was Uncle Obe, who even though he is dealing with the on set of dementia, is still hilarious and comes out with some very funny lines. He is also a very generous and humble man, who brings great depth to the storyline.
I had one big problem with Restless In Carolina and that was that I felt a lot of the time religion was being pushed down my throat. I am very open in my beliefs and do mind reading about any religion or religious views, however I do like when it is mentioned on almost every page. I felt as though the authors views on religion were forefront throughout the novel. I understand that Tamara Leigh wanted to bring her faith into her writing and make her novels more God-honouring, however I just felt that the way in which it was brought across was not to my tastes. I do not enjoy being preached at through a novel and feel that a little toning down of this could have gone a long way to improving the novel. My other issue with the novel was the use of stereotypes. I myself live in South Carolina and I did not enjoy the way in which there were stereotypical southern characters, who all had stereotypical southern names. I know that many people love these aspects of southern life and reading about this in a novel, but personally I myself am not one of them. I would have liked the characters to be unique people rather than stereotypes of how southern people are perceived.
Overall I did enjoy reading Restless In Carolina. I found the novel to be humorous, filled with romance and southern charm. The characters fit really well with the plot and I really found myself wanting to find out what happened. There is a strong message throughout this novel, which I commend Tamara Leigh for putting into her work. I would recommend Restless In Carolina to anyone who enjoys a romance novel sprinkled with southern charm. I will be reading more from Tamara Leigh in the future.
November 15, 2011
After reading the summary of this novel I was quite eager to get my hands on it. It seemed like it would be a down to earth, tangible read and I wasn‘t disappointed. Let me give you a little rundown on the summary:
Bridget Pickwick Buchanan has been angry at God ever since her husband passed away. Unable to break herself from her widow’s weeds and move on with her life she decides to stay rooted in the past. She refuses to talk to God, and even goes so far as to refuse to say the words happily ever after when reading a story to her young niece. She views all admirers as “widow sniffers” and refuses to let a man within ten feet of her.
Her family becomes concerned and tries attempt after attempt to get her to move on with her life as the bitterness takes further hold of her, and she stays rooted in her past.
Being environmentally conscious, Bridget needs to secure a buyer for her families estate. One that won’t turn the property into something as terrible as an industrial park. She decides to approach J.C. Dirk who has many green property developments in the hopes that he will keep her families estate environmentally stable. Dare she even hope for a wildlife retreat? But is J.C. Dirk what he really claims to be? Or will Bridget find herself in the middle of a sore mistake, one that could leave her ruined, and crushed?
~
It started off a bit slow for me as I think some stuff was explained in too much detail. The book did get a bit off track at times, but not so much so that you would feel lost in the story. After the first few chapters I started getting really into it. By close to the middle of the book I was riveted in the entire story as well as the characters. This is actually the third book in the Carolina series by Tamara Leigh. I haven’t read the other two, and to be quite frank didn’t really even know there were two ahead of this one. This is a great stand alone book. You don’t have to read the other two novels to know what is going on. The book pretty much explains everything and I never felt at all lost. I do plan on reading the first two just for the simple fact that I enjoyed this book so much. I really felt comfortable with Bridget Pickwick Buchanan as she tries to guard her heart as well as keep her families best interests in check. She is a tough and yet kind soul whom isn‘t afraid at all to speak her mind. And I particularly identified with her animal loving tendencies and the need to be herself.
The story was comical at many points, particularly the ones where her niece and nephew were concerned, I couldn‘t help but to laugh at loud. I love that the fictitious characters in this novel relate so closely to actual people in the real world. Time and again we have had things happen in our lives that may have made us question God. Whether we are trying to find our way back to God, or just trying to increase our relationship with him Bridget is easily relatable for many of us. It’s easy to get swept up into the Pickwickians world, and I felt sad when my stay with them were over. You will find yourself feeling as if you are in the midst of the characters, and to me, that is truly a wonderful feeling. I urge you to PEEK INSIDE THIS BOOK HERE and read some of it for yourself. You can also check it out HERE
Disclaimer:
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Bridget Pickwick Buchanan has been angry at God ever since her husband passed away. Unable to break herself from her widow’s weeds and move on with her life she decides to stay rooted in the past. She refuses to talk to God, and even goes so far as to refuse to say the words happily ever after when reading a story to her young niece. She views all admirers as “widow sniffers” and refuses to let a man within ten feet of her.
Her family becomes concerned and tries attempt after attempt to get her to move on with her life as the bitterness takes further hold of her, and she stays rooted in her past.
Being environmentally conscious, Bridget needs to secure a buyer for her families estate. One that won’t turn the property into something as terrible as an industrial park. She decides to approach J.C. Dirk who has many green property developments in the hopes that he will keep her families estate environmentally stable. Dare she even hope for a wildlife retreat? But is J.C. Dirk what he really claims to be? Or will Bridget find herself in the middle of a sore mistake, one that could leave her ruined, and crushed?
~
It started off a bit slow for me as I think some stuff was explained in too much detail. The book did get a bit off track at times, but not so much so that you would feel lost in the story. After the first few chapters I started getting really into it. By close to the middle of the book I was riveted in the entire story as well as the characters. This is actually the third book in the Carolina series by Tamara Leigh. I haven’t read the other two, and to be quite frank didn’t really even know there were two ahead of this one. This is a great stand alone book. You don’t have to read the other two novels to know what is going on. The book pretty much explains everything and I never felt at all lost. I do plan on reading the first two just for the simple fact that I enjoyed this book so much. I really felt comfortable with Bridget Pickwick Buchanan as she tries to guard her heart as well as keep her families best interests in check. She is a tough and yet kind soul whom isn‘t afraid at all to speak her mind. And I particularly identified with her animal loving tendencies and the need to be herself.
The story was comical at many points, particularly the ones where her niece and nephew were concerned, I couldn‘t help but to laugh at loud. I love that the fictitious characters in this novel relate so closely to actual people in the real world. Time and again we have had things happen in our lives that may have made us question God. Whether we are trying to find our way back to God, or just trying to increase our relationship with him Bridget is easily relatable for many of us. It’s easy to get swept up into the Pickwickians world, and I felt sad when my stay with them were over. You will find yourself feeling as if you are in the midst of the characters, and to me, that is truly a wonderful feeling. I urge you to PEEK INSIDE THIS BOOK HERE and read some of it for yourself. You can also check it out HERE
Disclaimer:
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
September 24, 2011
Title: RESTLESS IN CAROLINA
Author: Tamara Leigh
Publisher: Multnomah
July 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4-60142-168-5
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary
Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan is a widow at thirty-three. It’s been four years since her husband died and she’s just not ready to move on. But after she terrorizes her five-year-old niece by telling her that there is no happy-ever-after, that the hero dies, she is forced to start coming to terms. First to go is the dreadlocks that she had in memory of her late husband who loved them.
Now, Bridget needs to find a buyer for her family’s estate—a Biltmore-inspired mansion surrounded by hundreds of acres of unspoiled forest. Bridget is hoping to find an eco-friendly developer to buy the land—one who won’t turn it into single-family homes or a cheesy theme park.
J. C. Dirk is a developer from Atlanta whose green property developments have earned him national acclaim. But he isn’t returning Bridget’s calls. Forced to act, she visits him in Atlanta. But J. C. is neither amused nor interested until she mentions her family name. But there are things Bridget doesn’t know about J. C. and it could mean the end of everything she worked for.
RESTLESS IN CAROLINA is a contemporary novel, written in first person, in kind of a chick-litty way. Bridget is still in mourning after her husband’s death four years earlier, but life has a way of going on, and now Bridget is getting everything dumped on her lap at once. Including babysitting her twin niece and nephew, approaching the developer about the family estate, babysitting her senile uncle, and chasing down a developer who may or may not be interested in the acreage, but seems to be interested in the widow.
Bridget is a rather pushy character, used to getting her way, and not used to being told no, or worse, ignored. It was rather amusing in parts watching her do whatever it takes to get the attention she requests and needs. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $14.99. 352 pages.
October 5, 2011
The title "Restless in Carolina" really appealed to me, a Southern lady, with a penchant for reading. Getting into the book was easy as the writing style is relaxed and easy to read. So it was a relaxing read.
Right off I saw that the key character, Bridget, is restless for several reasons. She is a "Tree-huggin', animal-lovin'" individual who struggles with the grief of losing her husband at an early age. She struggles, too, with a family whose interactions could be the fodder for a number of novels.
Another key character is Bridget's Uncle Obadiah who is developing heart wrenching dementia but who also has lucid moments. Uncle Obe has a heart's desire to right a wrong done in the past by his family before his dementia overtakes him. "... the only proof he requires is that of his troubled conscience." p.319 This is another cause of Bridget's restlessness.
Enter our third primary character who stirs Bridget's restlessness and..... well, we'll let you read the story to learn how J.C. Dirk, a developer from Atlanta who is a man on the move developing green properties that have lead to his national recognition, and Bridget get acquainted and how it simply begets more restlessness for Bridget.
Enjoy your bit of Southern Carolina charm and life as author, Tamara Leigh, takes you into this world of charm and change, of fears and forgiveness.
I enjoyed this book and plan to pass it along for others to enjoy. I recommend it for those of you who enjoy a good relaxing read and a bit of "happily ever after."
Restless in Carolina: A Novel is the third installment to Southern Discomfort series, a contemporary religious romance fiction series by Tamara Leigh. Published by Multnomah Books in July 19th 2011.
ISBN-10: 1601421680 ISBN-13: 978-1601421685
Restless in Carolina was provided free of charge to me by Multnomah Books and BloggingforBooks.com to review. This review is my own opinion.
Right off I saw that the key character, Bridget, is restless for several reasons. She is a "Tree-huggin', animal-lovin'" individual who struggles with the grief of losing her husband at an early age. She struggles, too, with a family whose interactions could be the fodder for a number of novels.
Another key character is Bridget's Uncle Obadiah who is developing heart wrenching dementia but who also has lucid moments. Uncle Obe has a heart's desire to right a wrong done in the past by his family before his dementia overtakes him. "... the only proof he requires is that of his troubled conscience." p.319 This is another cause of Bridget's restlessness.
Enter our third primary character who stirs Bridget's restlessness and..... well, we'll let you read the story to learn how J.C. Dirk, a developer from Atlanta who is a man on the move developing green properties that have lead to his national recognition, and Bridget get acquainted and how it simply begets more restlessness for Bridget.
Enjoy your bit of Southern Carolina charm and life as author, Tamara Leigh, takes you into this world of charm and change, of fears and forgiveness.
I enjoyed this book and plan to pass it along for others to enjoy. I recommend it for those of you who enjoy a good relaxing read and a bit of "happily ever after."
Restless in Carolina: A Novel is the third installment to Southern Discomfort series, a contemporary religious romance fiction series by Tamara Leigh. Published by Multnomah Books in July 19th 2011.
ISBN-10: 1601421680 ISBN-13: 978-1601421685
Restless in Carolina was provided free of charge to me by Multnomah Books and BloggingforBooks.com to review. This review is my own opinion.
February 23, 2012
Young Bridgett Pickwick-Buchanan (33) has been a widow for 4 years. Still in mourning for her husband, some members of her family decide it's time to "move on" & shake off the "Widow Weeds".
Bridgett is as hippy as hippy gets (in this generations meaning of the word anyways). Dreadlocked & "Green" as a Cucumber, she is dedicated to making the world a better place. Saving Mother Earth from us one flower at a time.
When her beloved Uncle's health begins failing him, it is now up to her to sell their family estate, to the most eco friendly person possible.
In walks J.C. Dirk from Atlanta, who is not only handsome (of course), but seems to be as eco friendly as a Southern Conservative Rich Man from Old Money could be.
J.C. has a few secrets of his own motivating him, when it comes to buying the Pickwick Estate from the granola crunchin pretty Bridgette he will stop at nothing to be the "perfect" candidate.
As the story goes on we find out a few juicy secrets about the Pickwick family history.
At the same time Bridgette's belief in God & prayer helps her immensely. This is not a shove it down your throat, overly religious book, either.
This book is definitely Not my usual read, but I gave it a shot, and was pleasantly delighted with what I found.
Bridgette's view of how to save the earth & of life in general, reminded me of a young me. Dreadlocks & all! Although mine were hardly dreadlocks, because I had to wash my hair they turned into little "twistys", but I tried..lolz..
This is sweet story that I would consider to be a Christian Romance-Lite/Fiction.
Some parts were predictable, one made me mad (if you read it you will know when you get to it), some were sweet, inspiring, thought provoking.
Overall a decent read if you're looking for something light & sweet & easy.
I found out when I was done this was book 3 in a series & now I want to read the prior books. This stands alone, the others were not required to understand this books ins & outs.
Bridgett is as hippy as hippy gets (in this generations meaning of the word anyways). Dreadlocked & "Green" as a Cucumber, she is dedicated to making the world a better place. Saving Mother Earth from us one flower at a time.
When her beloved Uncle's health begins failing him, it is now up to her to sell their family estate, to the most eco friendly person possible.
In walks J.C. Dirk from Atlanta, who is not only handsome (of course), but seems to be as eco friendly as a Southern Conservative Rich Man from Old Money could be.
J.C. has a few secrets of his own motivating him, when it comes to buying the Pickwick Estate from the granola crunchin pretty Bridgette he will stop at nothing to be the "perfect" candidate.
As the story goes on we find out a few juicy secrets about the Pickwick family history.
At the same time Bridgette's belief in God & prayer helps her immensely. This is not a shove it down your throat, overly religious book, either.
This book is definitely Not my usual read, but I gave it a shot, and was pleasantly delighted with what I found.
Bridgette's view of how to save the earth & of life in general, reminded me of a young me. Dreadlocks & all! Although mine were hardly dreadlocks, because I had to wash my hair they turned into little "twistys", but I tried..lolz..
This is sweet story that I would consider to be a Christian Romance-Lite/Fiction.
Some parts were predictable, one made me mad (if you read it you will know when you get to it), some were sweet, inspiring, thought provoking.
Overall a decent read if you're looking for something light & sweet & easy.
I found out when I was done this was book 3 in a series & now I want to read the prior books. This stands alone, the others were not required to understand this books ins & outs.
July 23, 2011
Restless in Carolina
By Tamara Leigh
Published by WaterBrook Press
In Restless in Carolina, self-professed “tree hugger” and immitigable widow Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan is on a mission. Her objective, to find a buyer for her uncles estate, preferably one who is environmentally conscientious, will pay top dollar and desires to leave the land unmolested and undeveloped. Easy, right?
Bridget does her homework. Having narrowed her sights on property developer J.C. Dirk, but with no success getting through to him directly, she sets off in the name of all things “GREEN” to his corporate offices to force a face-to-face tête-à-tête. Amused by Bridget’s gumption and creativity, J.C. reluctantly agrees to look into the property. The surprise however, is on Bridget, who’s unaccountably unnerved by this handsome privileged businessman.
Unfortunately, Bridget’s exasperating father has plans of his own for the estate; having for all intents and purposes, promised the homestead to Caleb Merriman. And the property is not the only thing her father is proposing Caleb procure. Bridget smells a setup, however, a little competition may be just what she needs to secure the best buyer. But first she’ll have to uncover the truth about these would be developers and their motives.
Witty and entertaining, Restless in Carolina has both bittersweet and laugh-out-loud moments. Leigh effortlessly endears you to her characters. This being my first, I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.
Click here to download chapter one of Restless in Carolina
I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their BloggingForBooks program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.
By Tamara Leigh
Published by WaterBrook Press
In Restless in Carolina, self-professed “tree hugger” and immitigable widow Bridget Pickwick-Buchanan is on a mission. Her objective, to find a buyer for her uncles estate, preferably one who is environmentally conscientious, will pay top dollar and desires to leave the land unmolested and undeveloped. Easy, right?
Bridget does her homework. Having narrowed her sights on property developer J.C. Dirk, but with no success getting through to him directly, she sets off in the name of all things “GREEN” to his corporate offices to force a face-to-face tête-à-tête. Amused by Bridget’s gumption and creativity, J.C. reluctantly agrees to look into the property. The surprise however, is on Bridget, who’s unaccountably unnerved by this handsome privileged businessman.
Unfortunately, Bridget’s exasperating father has plans of his own for the estate; having for all intents and purposes, promised the homestead to Caleb Merriman. And the property is not the only thing her father is proposing Caleb procure. Bridget smells a setup, however, a little competition may be just what she needs to secure the best buyer. But first she’ll have to uncover the truth about these would be developers and their motives.
Witty and entertaining, Restless in Carolina has both bittersweet and laugh-out-loud moments. Leigh effortlessly endears you to her characters. This being my first, I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.
Click here to download chapter one of Restless in Carolina
I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their BloggingForBooks program. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.
November 30, 2011
Green. That is what means the most to tree-hugging Bridget Pickwick Buchanan. After losing the love of her life and husband several years ago, Bridget at the young age of 33, has withdrawn into her self and won't even say the words "Happily Ever After" (HEA). There is no such thing. It's a myth. Well, at least for her it is.
So she sinks all her time and devotion into their family estate and her garden center. It must be sold, but Bridget is determined not to let just any ol' developer buy it. No, she wants someone who is "green", dedicated to preserving the land and giving back.
So, she straightens her dreads and dons the high heels, hoping to impress the uppity but high energy eco-friendly developer, J.C. Dirk. She barges into his office in Atlanta and what follows is a story that will have you laughing until tears stream down your face.
Or at least it did me.
I must admit, when I first started this book, I wasn't very fond of the first chapter. I had a hard time relating to Bridget, even though I'm a greenie myself, without the dreads of course. :) However, once I read past that first chapter and I started understanding what made her tick, I was too engrossed in the story to put it down.
I loved the way the author weaved the eco-friendly ideas in with the plot. It was engaging, funny and had just enough tension, (okay a lot of tension) and romance to keep me glued to the chair.
I got this book from Multonomah Publishers in exchange for my honest review. (thanks, y'all!) I chose this book because of my own personal connection with healing the land and environment and living responsibility as every good Christian should.
Don't worry though, it's not preachy - neither on the relationship with Jesus nor on the environmental front. It has just enough of both to make it a great story.
So she sinks all her time and devotion into their family estate and her garden center. It must be sold, but Bridget is determined not to let just any ol' developer buy it. No, she wants someone who is "green", dedicated to preserving the land and giving back.
So, she straightens her dreads and dons the high heels, hoping to impress the uppity but high energy eco-friendly developer, J.C. Dirk. She barges into his office in Atlanta and what follows is a story that will have you laughing until tears stream down your face.
Or at least it did me.
I must admit, when I first started this book, I wasn't very fond of the first chapter. I had a hard time relating to Bridget, even though I'm a greenie myself, without the dreads of course. :) However, once I read past that first chapter and I started understanding what made her tick, I was too engrossed in the story to put it down.
I loved the way the author weaved the eco-friendly ideas in with the plot. It was engaging, funny and had just enough tension, (okay a lot of tension) and romance to keep me glued to the chair.
I got this book from Multonomah Publishers in exchange for my honest review. (thanks, y'all!) I chose this book because of my own personal connection with healing the land and environment and living responsibility as every good Christian should.
Don't worry though, it's not preachy - neither on the relationship with Jesus nor on the environmental front. It has just enough of both to make it a great story.
May 30, 2013
I picked this book up because the cover called out to me. I have to be honest and say I wasn’t expecting much from it. I was expecting a fun, light-hearted romance with not a lot to it. But while it was fun, a light read, and a romance, it had a bit more substance to it, which was a nice surprise.
Bridget is a widow, still mourning her husband after four years. She is an environmentalist from a family that is prominent in her area.....for some of the wrong reasons. At one time the family was wealthy and rumor has it that much of the wealth was the result of some shady practices by great-grandpa. Now though, the wealth is gone and the family needs to sell the estate. Several developers have an interest, but Bridget is determined that the buyer be environmentally friendly.
With running her nursery while dealing with an interfering father, an uncle with Alzheimers, and a young, mischievous twin niece and nephew, Bridget has her hands full. Enter into that two developers competing for her attention, and we get a fun, if a bit predictable, story. Yes, I saw the end coming a mile away, but that didn’t detract from the story. For the most part, the characters were well developed and there were a couple of twists that kept things interesting.
There are discussion questions at the end, and in reading those, I learned that this is book three of the Southern Discomfort series. I did not know that when I read the big, and not reading the first two did not detract from this story. The author included enough back story that I didn’t feel I missed anything. You may also want to know that this is listed as ‘Christian’ fiction, and although the characters relationship with God is mentioned throughout the book, this is not ‘hit you over the head Bible thumping’. If you are looking for a fun summer read, be sure to take a look at this one!
3-1/2 Stars
Bridget is a widow, still mourning her husband after four years. She is an environmentalist from a family that is prominent in her area.....for some of the wrong reasons. At one time the family was wealthy and rumor has it that much of the wealth was the result of some shady practices by great-grandpa. Now though, the wealth is gone and the family needs to sell the estate. Several developers have an interest, but Bridget is determined that the buyer be environmentally friendly.
With running her nursery while dealing with an interfering father, an uncle with Alzheimers, and a young, mischievous twin niece and nephew, Bridget has her hands full. Enter into that two developers competing for her attention, and we get a fun, if a bit predictable, story. Yes, I saw the end coming a mile away, but that didn’t detract from the story. For the most part, the characters were well developed and there were a couple of twists that kept things interesting.
There are discussion questions at the end, and in reading those, I learned that this is book three of the Southern Discomfort series. I did not know that when I read the big, and not reading the first two did not detract from this story. The author included enough back story that I didn’t feel I missed anything. You may also want to know that this is listed as ‘Christian’ fiction, and although the characters relationship with God is mentioned throughout the book, this is not ‘hit you over the head Bible thumping’. If you are looking for a fun summer read, be sure to take a look at this one!
3-1/2 Stars
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