Taylor Dean

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This book really took me by surprise. You know the saying “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”? Well this is that book! Zoe moves to California for a fresh start. She uses her inheritance to purchase a rundown 1920’s Victorian mansion. Taylor Dean describes this house so meticulously that you can see it in your mind’s eye. Strange things begin happening in the house, the stove shuts itself off, the half wallpapered walls are suddenly complete, the list goes on and on. Zoe refuses to believe in ghosts, and thinks her ex or someone else has found a secret passage into the house and is playing mind games on her…The truth will shock you, it certainly did me as I never expected the answer I received. I loved the author’s writing style, jumping from past to present, it helped to know where Zoe was coming from and how she got into the predicament she was in. I wasn’t thrilled with the way this book ended (we’re left hanging in anticipation of book 2). But I must say Taylor Dean is now one of my favorite authors!… (meer)

I had the privilege of participating in the Clean Wholesome Romance January 2019 book club, which choice was Chasing Fireflies by Taylor Dean. I chose not to read the synapsis on purpose, letting the story tell itself, and I am so thankful that I did. Savannah, the heroine of the story, mirrors me in so many ways. An introvert, so shy that her timidity has left her frozen in life. She also had an internal conflict that no one knows about: Savannah is on a secret mission to find Paul, a mystery man that Savannah was told by a mystical woman years before that she is destined to be with. Paul is her one true love, and it is this motivation to find him that brought Savannah on an amazing trip to China.

Before participating in the book club, I had already fallen in love with the story, but during the Clean Wholesome Romance Facebook book club meeting we got to hear the motivation and inspiration behind the story from the author herself, which made me fall even more in love with Chasing Fireflies. It was the author's daughter that had taken the month-long trip to China and it was her experiences that Taylor Dean drew the majority of her inspiration from.

Learning the backstory made Chasing Fireflies that much more meaningful. The heartfelt and wonderful writing, along with wonderful characterization and descriptions, made this an incredible read, and is an excellent installment in the Power of the Matchmaker series.… (meer)