"Find Me in California" is a beautifully written novel that delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and the power of forgiveness. Kerry Lonsdale's skillful storytelling and vivid descriptions bring the characters and settings to life, creating a world that I found myself fully immersed in. The themes of love, loss, and redemption are expertly explored, leaving a lasting impact on those who read it.

The story follows when Julia is struggling while caring for her grandmother who raised her, while Matt is estranged from the grandmother he lived with after his parents died. Julia & Matt's lives collide when Julia sends Matt's grandmother's belongings to him. What transpires is how secrets that have been kept by both grandmothers for many years have afflicted upon both Julia & Matt and many others!!!

The emotional journey that Julia and Matt embark on is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as they navigate their past traumas and struggles to find a way back to each other. The novel's exploration of family ties and the importance of forgiveness is both thought-provoking and moving, making it a truly unforgettable read.

However, I do have some criticisms about certain aspects of the plot, I found Matt's hallucinations quite as tedious and unrealistic to read. Despite that, this book managed to evoke such strong emotions out of me! In conclusion, "Find Me in California" is a must-read for anyone looking for a touching and emotionally resonant story that will stay with them long after they turn the final page. Kerry Lonsdale's masterful storytelling and compelling characters make this novel a standout in the genre, and a book that I personally will not soon forget.

Thankyou Negalley and the publisher for the arc!

Find Me in California by Kerry Lonsdale is a narration about 4 main characters, all connected in one way or another. but there are two main characters that come to the top: Matt and Julia. Both Matt and Julia happen to go through difficult times, with Julia being abandoned by her mother and Matt losing her parents, at an early age. Matt finds himself being raised by a grandmother who dislikes him, and on the other hand, Julia is raised by a grandmother who adores her. Having grown old now, the two grandmothers, who had shared some history earlier in their lives and have deep secrets buried in their past, might just leave them all alone in this world, without anyone they can call family. In the end, they have some serious life decisions to make. Will they have enough courage to make these important decisions? What will become of them in the end? Well, find out in this mysterious narration.

This is a story with many stories within it, each character with a story to tell, a theme to convey, and a lesson to be learned. And this is the very thing I adored about the book.

I recommend this book, Find Me in California by Kerry Lonsdale, to those readers who love mystery books. I would say that this is a book full of mysteries, the readers will keep wanting to know what the characters are up to, what secrets they have been keeping, the reasons, and what's next, thus not being able to put the book down. It's quite a handful!

"Find Me in California" is a poignant tale of love, loss, and destiny, intertwining the lives of Julia and Matt as they navigate the complexities of grief and family ties. Kerry Lonsdale does a great job in weaving together multiple perspectives, both past and present, having which readers into a captivating narrative that spans generations. From Julia's tender relationship with her grandmother to Matt's journey of confronting his painful past, every character is richly developed, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears. As secrets unravel and connections deepen at the Rosemont Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility, Lonsdale expertly explores themes of forgiveness and redemption. With its compelling storyline and relatable characters, this novel is a must-read for anyone seeking a heartwarming and thought-provoking story.

This is a special book, touching on a sensitive subject with grace and honesty, giving us two characters we desperately hope will find their way. It had me smiling, as well as misty-eyed, and deserves all the love and attention!

Overall I enjoyed this story. The premise was interesting and certainly different. The story really is about 4 main characters, set in present day and in the past. There was a good flow between both eras. 3 of the main characters had a good character development I needed a bit more character development for Liza. I finished the book with a few questions. The scenes in the motel were a little far out and it took me a bit to really understand

A lovely, heartfelt story about forgiveness, secrets and love. I devoured it in one sitting! I loved the way the characters’ stories were woven together and were linked by fate. I did find elements of the story slightly far fetched but was happy to suspend belief as I was really enjoying the general plot, and the ending was very satisfying. Julia was a wonderful, strong character who I really connected with.
This is my first book by Kerry Lonsdale - I will definitely be looking for more.

Amazing book!
I was thoroughly engaged throughout this book and I didn't want to put it down! The author captured my attention from the get go! Five stars from me :)

I set this book down at chapter 9 - by no fault of the author. I was reading reviews early on, and came across a MAJOR spoiler that ruined the ride for me. The spoiler wasn't blocked, so I learned my lesson with that. With that being said, my comments are based on those chapters (1-9).
"Find Me in California" found a way to hook me from the start. I think it was the fact that I clicked with the author's writing style. I enjoyed how when the point of views changed, it picked up smoothly and left no room for confusion as I've experienced in some other books. There is room for growth in chapter 3 as I found it to be quite choppy with the amount of periods and short sentences - the rest of the book flowed well and I'm disappointed that I can't make myself see it through, but a spoiler really does ruin it for me. I hope my feedback can still be helpful to others. I'd definitely recommend giving this book a try!

Such a fun and mystical story by Kerry! Julia and Matt are connected through their grandmothers and as the story evolves, you find out how. They both had absent mothers but Julia was raised by a loving grandmother while Matt was raised by a cold and heartless one. A few twists in this story make for a great great! Thank you Net Gslley for this ARC! 4.5 stars

I sat down to read this and somehow found myself finishing it all in one day! It was impossible to put down! I loved the story of Julia and Matt finding out their history and figuring out how to let love into their lives. Kerry Lonsdale continues to astonish me with her writing. It is powerful and evokes so many feelings! I almost forgot I wasn’t a part of the story!!!

Going for honesty here, this book is definitely not one I would normally pick up. As I started reading I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to make it through. Wow, was I wrong.

This book was absolutely incredible. Kerry's writing just sucked me in and made me cry and broke my heart. I'm really just at a loss for words cause I have no idea how to surmise this story. Just an incredible story of love and life, the trials it can throw you and the years of trauma and eventual healing that the characters faced.

100% amazing and highly recommend. Doesn't matter if it's not your usual read or not, you'll love it.

Matt arrives home to find his driveway covered with boxes from a grandmother he hasn't seen since he left her home at 18. Why would these boxes be here? The grandmother who raised him after the death of his parents never showed him an ounce of love. On a whim, Matt decides to call the number of the facility the boxes shipped from, Rosemont Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility. His grandmother is broke and is being "evicted" from the facility. How would this Hollywood Princess lose all her money? His grandmother had more than enough money to live out her life there.
Julia hasn't had the greatest start in life. Abandoned by her mother as a young child, Julia grew up with her grandmother Ruby Rose. Ruby Rose made sure Julia had the best life she could give her. Now, many years later, Julia is watching her grandmother's memory fade and her life may never be the same. She vowed to never take her grandmother from Rosemont, the memory care facility her grandmother chose to live in.
As Matt and Julia come together with their grandmothers at the Rosemont, what a story unfolds! Old time Hollywood at its best!
Find Me in California is a wonderful ride through old Hollywood and the present time. Choices that were made years ago, even decades ago, affect everyone as time passes. Kerry Lonsdale writes from several points of view in this tale and alternates through past and present time. Her writing is so easy to follow and read. I was never lost in the story line. I have read many works by Kerry Lonsdale and I think this might be her best work yet! I loved all the characters (even though I wanted to yell at Matt in the beginning). I would love to see more about old Hollywood and see where Elizabeth's life began. There is more story here to be told! I was so intrigued by Magnolia Blu and would love a whole book on her as well. What a free spirit! I read this book over the span of one day. I can honestly say, when I finished it, I wanted to restart it again. Lonsdale had me sad, laughing, intrigued, crying, mad, and absolutely engaged in the story the entire length of this book. I couldn't stop thinking about the characters long after I had finished the book.
Special Thanks to Kerry Lonsdale, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 HUGE Stars for me!
#FindMeinCalifornia #NetGalley #TeamKerry

Kerry Lonsdale is an excellent writer! I recommend all her books!
Find Me in California is Kerry's latest book, rife with suspense, intrigue, family drama, and plenty of romance.
I'm not the fastest reader, but I tore through this in just a few days, it is a fun easy read to get lost in.

The story is about two older women, Ruby Rose Hope and Elizabeth Holloway; both are aging and end up in the same nursing home.
Ruby's granddaughter Julia volunteers at the home and is trying her best to care for her Grandma, and also help Elizabeth (known to most as Liza). Liza is on the verge of being kicked out of the home as she doesn't have the money to cover her fees, so Julia gets in touch with Matt, Liza's estranged grandson, and asks him to come to California to help his grandmother. He doesn't want anything to do with her, but he finally relents and says he will come. Matt hits many obstacle on the road to California, namely meeting a mysterious women known as Magnolia Blu. His reality begins to blend, and we are not sure what is really going on, or exactly who Magnolia Blu is, but we do know she sounds a lot like the younger version of Julia's grandmother, who went by that name when she was younger.
The timeline alternates between the present and the past, filling us in on the relationship between Ruby/Magnolia and Liza... and Liza's now deceased husband Matty.
When Matt finally gets to California, not all is a happy ending, but a lot of past grief gets sorted and reconciled, and the future looks bright for Matt and Julia.

Find Me In California is another must-read book by author Kerry Lonsdale. She has once again created multi-faceted characters I fell in love with. This is a multi-generational saga that will tug at your heartstrings.

Complicated family relationships, long-lost loves, long-held resentments, and closely-protected secrets are at the center of the story. Matt and Julia are the grandchildren of two very different women living in a residential care facility. They "meet" by phone under difficult circumstances, forging an unlikely and tenuous friendship. As Matt reluctantly heads to California, he and Julia continue to get to know each other over the phone, and they make plans to meet.

Matt then crosses paths with a mysterious female hitchhiker, giving him an entirely different perspective. Family secrets begin to unravel, and everything he and Julia believe is turned upside down.

The only thing I wasn't crazy about in the story was the amount of drug use by Matt, but I recognize it was integral to the story.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Find Me in California was fantastic and Kerry Lonsdale did not let me down!! There were so many stories going on and they all intertwined so nicely and was not confusing in any way. The characters were loaded with personality. Each story was so special that I can't even tell you which one was the most interesting. Matt and Julia were strong characters each mixed up in their own way, but were able to help each other. The ending was superb. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! I will recommend this to everyone I know.

I felt like this could have been a beautiful story, with the dual timelines and the characters connections throughout the generations. That said, I was lost with the 3-day binge and Matt's hallucinations. They were stressful and unrealistic, actually unbelievable. I was also concerned that Julia and Matt were siblings falling in love throughout 75% of the book, until that was cleared up. I wanted to love this book so much, but it was lacking for me.

Grief is a very interesting thing. Can it manifest things that aren't actually there? That's what Kerry Lonsdale would like us to believe. This is the story of multiple people grieving loss - Liza grieving the loss of both her husband and her daughter, Ruby Rose/Magnolia Blu grieving the loss of both the love of her life and her daughter, Matt grieving the loss of both his parents, and Julia grieving the loss of both her parents and her grandmother. These four individuals have a connection in more ways than one, Is it coincidence that both Julia & Matt's grandmothers wind up at the same assisted living facility, or is there something deeper that binds them together? PS- love the epilogue!

From the moment I started reading, I was captivated. This book is a masterpiece that kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to uncover the connections between the characters and what twist awaited them next. The author skillfully weaves a tale where you become deeply invested into each characters life, feeling a range of emotions for them. As the story unfolded, I found myself not wanting it to end, yearning to dive deeper into the world. The book beautifully portrays, the fleeing nature of life and the power of forgiveness, even in the face of challenges. It’s a poignant reminder to open our hearts and embrace the complexities and beauty of life. This is a journey that immerses you in the characters, joys, and sorrows, showing how hope can shine through even in the darkest moments. It I s a compelling read that will touch your heart and leave you reflecting on the intricacies of human connections and the resilience of the human spirit. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a story that is both heart,wrenching and heartwarming to read this book.

My first review of a NetGalley advanced copy! This was fun because there are two timelines with characters connected across generations with enough suspense and intrigue to keep me interested in reaching the conclusion. I didn't love Matt's days-long binge with Magnolia Blu; he had his reasons but it stressed and annoyed me. Both Matt and Julia also had very similar past traumas and working through them in the end felt a bit redundant.

I have enjoyed all of Kerry’s books, Find Me in California, her 10th book, did not disappoint!! Julia is struggling while caring for her grandmother who raised her, Matt is estranged from the grandmother he lived with after his parents died. Julia & Matt’s lives collide when Julia sends Liza’s, Matt’s grandmother, belongings to him. What transpires is how secrets that have been kept by both grandmothers for many years have affected both Julia & Matt plus many others. As Julia & Matt work through their emotions of loss & loneliness, they look to each other & the people they meet as they unfold their grandmothers’ secrets. They learn family, love, living life to the fullest are what is important in life!