Unbelievable!!! The 100th book by Carolyn Brown has been my most favorite book of hers yet! I hate picking favorites as I have loved each of the dozens I’ve read of this amazing author this book is a pure celebration in many ways! The Family Journal is a true heartfelt written book that grabbed my heart immediately! These amazing characters are so relatable as is their story. Lily moved back home after her kids have left her no choice with their actions and no help from her ex husband. Hoping being home helps herself and her kids she settles in with a few surprises. One being a family journal dating back to the civil war era that brings this family back together in the most touching ways. Grab your tissues for this amazing and beautifully written book that reminds me of all the things that matter most of all! I loved the history in this book!!! Amazing and In love with this! A must read and can totally see this turned into a fabulous movie!!! Best book to date and can’t wait to read the next book Carolyn Brown Writes!

Carolyn Brown never disappoints and The Family Journal is no exception.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Terrific book about family, friendship, love, and new beginnings. In the five years since her divorce, Lily's life was taken over by the day-to-day stresses of work and home, leaving her little time to give her kids the attention they needed. Her cheating ex-husband gave her full custody because his new wife had no interest in being around children. He flits in and out of Holly and Braden's lives, unreliable in actions and attitude. She experienced a rude awakening when she discovered 14-year-old Holly smoking a joint in the library bathroom, and that 12-year-old Braden was regularly sneaking out to drink and smoke with his friends. Devastated and furious, Lily takes drastic action. She takes all of their electronics away and moves them from Austin to her tiny hometown of Comfort, Texas.

I had to hand it to Lily. She didn't shilly-shally when faced with trouble, but took immediate action. Nor did she allow the kids to guilt her into changing her mind. She may harbor a few doubts, but she wasn't about to show them to the kids. Returning to Comfort was a big step for her. As a teen, she couldn't wait to get away from the small, sleepy town and experience city life. Her return feels a bit like a failure, but she'll do what she must for the kids. Her return also forces Lily to face some unresolved guilt about her relationship with her deceased mother. In the middle of her divorce, Lily was unwilling to deal with the stress of handling her mother's house, so she rented it as is to Mack Cooper, the high school ag teacher. It's a fairly large house, so she and Mack come to an agreement that he will continue to rent and live in the downstairs, while Lily and the kids live upstairs. They'll share the kitchen.

I really liked Mack. He's a quiet, steady man, who enjoys his work with the kids at school. He's accepted that love is likely not in the cards for him after having been burned twice. I ached for him and that part of his past, as the two women he loved threw him over for his flashy and shallow twin brother. Personally, I felt he was better off without them, as they obviously didn't truly love him. I loved the way that he welcomed Lily and the kids into his life. I especially enjoyed his connection with Braden and seeing the positive influence he had on the boy. I had to laugh at Braden's enthusiasm for the goats, much to his sister's disgust.

A lot was going on in this book. First and foremost was Lily's need to reconnect with her kids and help them see the error of their ways. It was a tough go at first, as the withdrawal pains from their lack of electronics made them unusually irritable. I had a great deal of fun watching them all cope with their new reality - no wifi??!!! Both kids had some severe culture shock going on, and I enjoyed seeing their progress from spoiled brats to good kids. It wasn't all smooth sailing for them, and I liked seeing them deal with their various challenges. I especially loved Braden's defense of his friend and cheered the awesome principal. There was a little while where I worried that Holly was headed down the wrong path again, but she too came through with unexpectedly mature decisions.

I also enjoyed seeing Lily reconnect with her childhood friends. It didn't take long for them to be as close as they had ever been. I enjoyed seeing Lily get involved in the antique store and discover that the slower pace suited her new lifestyle. Her friendship with her mother's best friend also gave Lily the chance to learn things about her mom that she hadn't known. When going through her mother's desk, Lily found an old journal that turned out to be written by earlier generations of the women in her family. I loved the snippets that were shared in the book, and how many of them had parallels in what Lily herself was experiencing. When Holly needed a school project, Lily shared the journal with her. I loved how sharing that link with their ancestors brought the two together in new ways. It was fascinating to see the effect it had on both of them.

There was also the growing relationship between Lily and Mack. It started as friendship, with the two learning to work together as they shared the living space. Mack's quiet strength helped Lily stay true to her goals for herself and her children. I liked how he took an interest in the kids and provided the kind of example they didn't have in their own father. I enjoyed seeing the two of them settle into a comfortable friendship with trust and respect for each other. And the more time that they spent together, the stronger the sparks of attraction between them grew. Both are a little wary, as Wyatt did a number on Lily's belief in herself, and Mack's brother Adam's dog-in-the-manger attitude toward anything Mack has made him reluctant to trust his heart to another woman. I had to laugh at Lily's reaction to Adam and his stunned disbelief. I loved that Mack was there for Lily when Wyatt pulled his bone-headed stunt with the kids. I loved the ending and seeing the changes that everyone experienced. I was left with a wonderfully warm feeling and the belief that Comfort was both a place and a state of mind.

One of my favorite secondary characters was Granny Hyatt. She was something else, with her fierce independence and blunt speech. She also showed the heart of Comfort and how everyone looks out for each other. It was quite a surprise to see how she took to the rebellious Holly. It was fascinating to see how two such different people connected. There was an interesting twist involving Granny at the end of the book, which answered a few questions Lily had from reading the journal.

Lily Anderson is a heroine! She has two kids that give her the worst headache, but she is a devoted mother! I had to get this out of the way… sorry!

Now, “The Family Journal” is such an amazing story. The warmth one feels when reading it, the feeling of Home, the family and love are all in these chapters, at every page turn. I very much enjoyed this book!

Lily Anderson is a single mom, whose kids have taken some very bad habits, at a very young age. The only resource she has left is to move back to her hometown in Comfort, Texas. Her house is rented at the moment, but she comes to an agreement with her tenant – Mack Cooper to live together and split the expenses. Mack is a high school teacher, that has seen his fair share of misbehaved kids. He soon understands that Lily has not had the best of luck when it comes to having a father figure around for her kids. They both set up into a comfortable routine and they quickly lean on each other. All these come naturally. Things just … settle. A beautiful relationship begins, between two mature people, with their own heartbreak to bare. Still this is not the main focus of the story.

The family aspect is present all throughout the book. Not only we see Lily dealing with her two very disobedient children, but we see her learning to say no to them. While this happens, they also go through a family journal that contains the history of the women in their family. Maybe the past will manage to bring mother and daughter together. I wish I had one of these journals.

All in all, this book was amazing to read and feel, because it made me feel so many things and it made me love the characters so much. We have the life in a small town of Texas, with the Southern spirit, we have family and love. “The Family Journal” is by far an intelligent story. It has so many levels and so many beautiful interesting things. I do advise you to read it, it’s actually a “must”. 5 bright shining stars!

***I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

I truly enjoyed reading this book. It is a nice story of a family split by divorce. A mother and her two children are restarting their lives in Comfort, Texas. Along the way they find their way back to each other again. A family journal is discovered in the historic family home and offers a way for mother and daughter to bond and heal. My favorite part of this book was the cast of strong female characters both in the story and in the journal. This is a wonderful story of family roots, motherhood, history, and healing. I recommend!

A milestone book, “The Family Journal” is Carolyn Brown’s landmark hundredth novel. And it is so fitting that the subtheme of the book is going home.

This is a slow burn romance between a single mom Lily Anderson and a high school teacher Mack Cooper; both of them in their late thirties or early forties. To them, it’s a second chance at love; but definitely not a second chance romance.

Still, “The Family Journal” might be classified as a romance but it is really about family with the titular item taking center stage the whole time. The old family journal that Lily Anderson found in her mother’s house was the focal point of this story and the reason why the fractured relationship that Lily had with her two children finally healed.

In this digital age, we seldom sit down and write using pen and paper. Lily’s family journal was initially written by the family matriarch during the Civil War. Handed from daughter to daughter through the generations until it was Lily’s mother’s turn, the journal was a first-person account of the era when those women lived, albeit related on a very personal point of view.

Finding the journal among her mother’s things, Lily shared it with her 14-year old daughter Holly who was in a rebellious age, as part of a school project. And as mother and daughter read what their ancestors wrote, the shared experience bonded Lily and Holly as mother and daughter and as friends.

After reading “The Family Journal” I asked myself what I will leave behind. A hundred years from now, will my great great great grandchildren look at all the digital images I took and all the blog posts I wrote? Or will my digital footprint be a victim of the Digital Dark Age? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_dark_age

Deciding that I cannot trust technology to keep my writings still available 100 years from now, I decided to keep a journal. And believe it or not, a search online revealed that there are many leather-bound journals with acid free paper. There are also fountain pens that are affordable.

Thank you Carolyn Brown for writing “The Family Journal.” It inspired me to start one.

“The Family Journal” is Rated T for Teens.

I really liked this book. I enjoyed the relationships between Lily and her children and with her friends. I liked that the relationship with Mack developed slowly. It was really interesting learning about the women in the journal. I love all of Carolyn Brown's books. I can't wait for her next one.

The Family Journal by Carolyn Brown
Source: NetGalley and Montlake Romance
Rating: 4½/5 stars

Lily Anderson’s life has all but fallen apart. Her children are headed down a dangerously bad path, her cheating ex-husband has little to do with his own children, and Lily is desperately unhappy in her current situation. With the welfare and happiness of her children at stake, Lily does the only thing she can think to do, pack her bags and move she and her kids to her family home in the small town of Comfort, Texas.

Comfort isn’t quite what her rebellious children expected, but it is exactly what they each need. Since the passing of her parents, Lily has rarely visited her family home, but its been kept in a good state by a tenant, Mack Cooper. With arrangements in place with Mack, Lily and her kids take over the upstairs, and Mack will continue on occupying the downstairs. From the start, the arrangement is comfortable and everyone and the children, to Lily’s amazement seem to settle in quite nicely.

Within days of moving in, Lily’s children start school, begin to make friends, and even begin to see the error of their previous ways. In fact, Lily’s daughter is diving into her schoolwork and her community with gusto while her son has taken to farm life like a duck to water. Though Lily had intended to continue her work as a counselor, she finds life has other ideas for her. Her best friend has a lovely and bustling antique shop and is in desperate need of help. Though Lily really has no experience, she does have an enthusiasm to learn and desire to spend more time with her kids. The new job would allow her to be more present and involved with her children and that’s exactly what they all seem to need.

In the wake of getting settled and adjusting to a whole new life, Lily finds a way to really connect with both her past and her present. By way of a century old family journal, Lily learns about her predecessors as she connects in a more real way with her daughter who is using the journal for a school project. In so many ways, the past informs the present and helps both mother and daughter to see beyond their differences and towards a future they both want and long for. What finally solidifies the family and makes them all aware of Mack’s care and concern for them all is an awful experience with the children and Lily’s ex-husband. The fear and anger they all experience crystallizes their feelings for one another and propels them along what it seemingly an inevitable path.

The Bottom Line: Carolyn Brown is always, always, always going to be my go-to girl for sweet family reads. Brown understands not only the dynamics of a family, both good and bad, but how to synthesize the good and the bad to create a harmonious and generally wonderful read. The small-town setting with all its quirks, oddities, and welcoming nature always enhance the read and enrich the overall experience. Thankfully, I discovered Carolyn Brown rather late, so I have plenty of her books to catch up and entertain me just as The Family Journal most certainly did.

Heartwarming! Carolyn Brown did it again. The Family Journal takes you right into the lives of small towns, strong women and true love. A must read!

When Lily Anderson discovered her 14 year old daughter, AND her 12 year old son, were making some bad choices, she did what any good mother would do: take away every last electronic device and move from the big city of Austin, Texas to the small town where she grew up two hours away. But drastic times call for drastic measures. She’s not sure when it happened, but over the course of the past five years - since her divorce, when her husband moved on to his second wife who had no desire to be around children - she’s become a distracted mother and disconnected from her children.

In Comfort, Texas they will move into the house where Lily grew up, which is currently being rented by Mack Cooper, a long-time Comfort resident and a teacher at the local high school. Not to worry, though, the house is big enough for all of them - Mack will live downstairs, and Lily, Holly, and Braden will share the three bedrooms and single bathroom upstairs.

The children aren’t happy about living without electronics, the new digs, or their new schools. But as they settle into Comfort, they all come to realize the change has been for the best.

In The Family Journal, I loved how naturally Mack and Lily fell in love, and I cracked up at Holly and Braden’s bickering. I loved how easily Mack slipped into life with Lily and her children. Other than Lily’s relationship with her ex-husband (which provided just the right amount of conflict for the story), everything was uncomplicated and easy, and I really liked it!

What I didn’t care for so much was the family journal storyline. I liked the concept, but it’s execution felt contrived at times. I feel like the author wanted us to have a connection with each of the women who wrote in the journal, but I didn’t, and couldn’t understand why Lily and Holly would, either. Maybe if the journal had been brought full circle - with an entry by Lily, I may have felt like it worked, but instead the whole storyline took me out of the present, when all I really wanted was more of Lily and Mack!

Carolyn Brown is quickly becoming a favorite author. My favorite thing about her stories is that they are about normal, realistic people. No billionaires, no Navy SEALS, no alpha males and insta love, no damsels in distress, no silly conflicts. Just real people trying to get through life, dealing with the challenges we all go through. There’s plenty of humor sprinkled throughout, and just enough drama to keep things compelling. The good guys win, the bad guys get what’s coming to them, and I don’t go on a huge emotional roller coaster while reading them. Sometimes it’s nice to just be able to read and enjoy the story without getting so emotional, and that’s what I’ve come to expect from this author. This book wasn’t my favorite of hers, but I still enjoyed it. And I expect I’ll enjoy more by Ms. Brown in the future.

* thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Family Journal by Carolyn Brown is a sweet romance that I really enjoyed. Single mom, Lily Anderson, has had it! He teenage son and daughter are out of control, so she packs them up and moves to a small town of Comfort, Texas. Lily owns a house there, but the problem, she is renting it out to long time friend Mack Cooper. The house if big enough for them all to live there as housemates. Lily finds an old diary where five generations of her family females, have written in it. Lily shares the book with her daughter, knowing they will be the next two to write in it. I highly recommend this book for a relaxing feel good read.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

I always enjoy the southern charm that exudes from the pages of this author's books.

Lily has had her problems in the past, but actions by her two teenage children land them back in Comfort Texas, a small town where she grew up and might be the answer to saving her children from traveling down a path that could be harmful to them. Mack is very different from his twin, in both looks and personalities. He is happy in his own skin but has yet to find love.

This book is more than just a romance, it is also about knowing your heritage and keeping a record for future generations. A family journal brings Lily and her daughter, Holly, together in more ways than one. Plus it is a connection to Lily's mother that she didn't expect to find. It is also a story about strength and doing the right thing. It doesn't matter how long it takes to find that inner strength, it is there and can be tapped at any time.

I really enjoyed every aspect of this book. The characters could be people I know, the setting is in Texas (always a winner), and love is just around the corner. I even appreciated Lily's punishment for her kids for misbehaving - losing access to their phones and electronics. More parents should do that when kids get out of control.

Once again Carolyn Brown has delighted me with another of her women's fiction novels. The Family Journal follows Lily and her two children as she moves them from the big city of Austin back to her small hometown of Comfort, Texas. There among her late mothers things she discovers a journal with writings from her ancestors. I loved the small town feel. I grew up in a small Texas town and nothing beats it. I loved that Mack was a bachelor and that he fell in love with not only Lily but Holly and Braden. This book just gave me a cozy happy warm feeling.

I really enjoyed The Family Journal by Carolyn Brown. I found out that this is her 100th book! Since it's the first of her's that I've read, I'm happy that there are so many more to choose! I found it refreshing to read a good contemporary romance that is wholesome and not too sappy. Not only a romance, this also is a bit historical in the fact that the main character, Lily, finds an old journal in her childhood home. She moved back after her husband left her and her two children for another woman. Struggling with the out of control behavior of her kids, she uses tough love and moves them from the city to her old hometown. This journal was started in the early 1800's by the women in her family, and passed down to their daughters to continue. Lily learned that her descendants also had to make tough decisions in their lives. This was a sweet family story that I think lots of readers would like. Thanks to Montlake Romance and Netgalley for copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good romance with a great underlying story. I want to start a journal now.

This book is based upon a journal that is handed down from mother to daughter over generations. There is no rhyme or reason when it is written in or about the subject matter. When Lily finds the journal in her mother’s writing desk, she immediately understands its significance. She reads it with the reverence the journal requires.

Soon, she is sharing the stories with her daughter. Having moved with her children back into the farmhouse of her childhood, Lily wonders if making such a rash decision after their negative behaviors come to light. As she reads more of the journal, both of her kids become closer to Mack, the renter of the farmhouse. Could she too be ready to open her heart to Mack after the devastation her husband’s infidelity caused?

This novel provides the outstanding writing Carolyn Brown brings to the table with the idea of what we leave our heirs in out writing.


I received an ARC from Montlake Romance through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review.

I absolutely loved this one. Carolyn Brown always writes novels that I enjoy and makes me feel different feelings. I always can connect to her characters and Lily was no different. I definitely recommend this one.

Four and a half stars: A heartfelt novel that focuses on the importance of family and roots.

After Lily catches her fourteen year old daughter, Holly, smoking a joint and her twelve year old son drinking, she decides it’s time for some tough love. Lily takes away all their electronic devices and moves them from Austin to the small town of Comfort, Texas where she grew up. Lily heads back to her family home, only there is a small problem, she will have a roommate. After her parents died five years ago and her marriage ended, Lily didn’t have the time or the energy to deal with her parent’s house. When Mack, a local man offered to rent it from her as is, she jumped at his offer. Mack being a true gentleman, has no issue with Lily and the kids moving in. Once back in Comfort, Lily discovers a family journal in her mother’s things. The journal begins during the Civil War, with one of Lily’s ancestors. As Lily and Holly read the journal they learn more about the family and their roots. Will they be able to repair their own relationship along the way?
What I Liked:
*I was delighted to get to read The Family Journal, Carolyn Brown’s one hundredth novel. Once again, Mrs. Brown delivers a heartfelt story all about family. This was a joy to read.
*At the beginning of the novel, Lily is a frazzled single mother who missed the warning signs in her own children. I loved that Lily made some hard choices, and that she showed her children tough love. It is a rocky road early on, but once the three of them settle back into Comfort, they rediscover what it means to be a family. Once Lily starts reading the old family journal, she begins to reevaluate her own life, and she learns some important lessons. I loved watching Lily grow. I especially enjoyed seeing her reconnect with her children.
*The family journal was a fascinating part of the book. Lily discovers an old family journal that was started by one of her ancestors during the Civil War. The journal is passed from one female descendant to the next. Over the years, each woman adds her own narrative to the journal. I thought the journal snippets were an amazing addition to the story.
*Mack, Lily’s renter, is an absolute joy. He is kind, caring and he ends up being a stabilizing force in Lily and the kids’ lives. I loved his big heart. Even though his own twin brother kicked him in the teeth again and again, Mack still is a great guy.
*The romance is wonderful. I liked that it started as a friendship with sparks of attraction. It isn’t hurried. It takes it’s sweet time to unfurl. I loved that it was established with trust, respect and kindness.
*I love that this book is all about family and family roots. This day in age, many of us are too busy to take time to appreciate the small things. This book is a reminder to take time to explore your family roots, and enjoy the simple things in life.
*After the ugliness between Lily and her ex husband, I was pleased to see positive progress in their relationship.
*After a few revelations, a few tears and smiles, the book closes in a nice happy spot. I closed the book content. Loved this one.
And The Not So Much:
*I have to admit, when the journal opened with a Southern woman in the midst of the Civil War, I was excited. I was disappointed though to find that there were only one or two entries from each woman through the years. I wanted a few more entries in the past, as I loved learning about each woman.
*Grandma Hayes was a fascinating character. She is a ninety seven year old woman who lives by herself in a small cabin. She rides her mule every week to church and keeps to herself. I loved her tenacity and the way she took care of herself. I wanted more of her story.

The Family Journal is a heartwarming story that gently reminds us the importance of family and taking time to enjoy the small things in life. I loved that this was a story about a woman reconnecting with her family roots as she struggled to redirect her children. This is a delightful book for those who want a heartfelt story. Congratulations to Carolyn Brown for publishing this as her hundredth novel. Here is to many more!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

Heartwarming, sweetly sexy, fun and action packed journey filled with interesting charters, great dialog, heart racing turns and undeniably passionate adventure... a great read from beginning to end. Really enjoyed this highly entertaining second chance.

Sweet, relaxing story that emphasizes the importance of family. I enjoyed the inserts of the family journal but wanted more of their stories. A common thread seemed to run throughout the journal with the women's choices in husbands. I liked that the author provided second chances for the characters. Overall, a very enjoyable book.

Brown takes a snapshot of the heart at it's most vulnerable and then puts it in our hands for safekeeping. The Family Journal dares to expose every emotion we're too afraid to face, but determined to conquer anyway. Lily and Mack are evidence that there is beauty in the heartache and wisdom in the lessons we learn from the experience.