Kerry Lonsdale’s book Find Me in California is another winner for her. This is a beautifully written story you will love. A story of family relations that weaves the past with the present. Filled with family bonds, secrets, betrayal, forgiveness, passion and grief. The characters are well developed and you will love them. This heartfelt story deals with over coming your past so you can move on to the future. I highly recommend this one and all of Ms. Lonsdale’s books, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Kerry Lonsdale for this heartwarming story to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #lakeunionpublishing. #kerrylonsdale. #findmeincalifornia. #kerrystikilounge.

Ugh. I really didn’t enjoy this book at all. I’ve read some of her others and this book was just weird. There was magic realism that I just wasn’t ready for. I also thought that some of the words and phrasing throughout the book felt formal and choppy. I couldn’t imagine someone actually speaking like that in real life. And pretty much every other page had one of the main characters taking edibles or smoking pot. Just not my cup of tea.

I didn't enjoy this novel. I felt that it was confusing there were two main characters with the same name and another that had two names and was present in both timelines via hallucinations. The blurb the publisher released didn't indicate that this book included magical realism, which is fine, but it created a mismatch of my expectations when picked up the book. I would have appreciated better expectations settings from the blurb. I also just wasn't a fan of the way the author handled the "its destiny" vibes I was getting. I got 32% of the way through this book and just couldn't keep going.

“Don’t live you life with regrets, Just live as fully as you can. Take it from one who knows: you can reshoot a scene multiple times, but you cannot do over your life”

Julia Hope, raised by her loving and free-spirited grandmother, faces the fear of being alone as she cares for her during her final days. Meanwhile, Matt Gatlin, who has avoided his coldhearted grandmother for twelve years, reluctantly returns to California to confront his painful past when she needs him. Over six days, Julia and Matt's lives intertwine. An old diary reveals a tragic love story and family secrets.

A beautiful, touching tale of love, forgiveness, and secrets.

I was absorbed in a maze of feelings after making each connection, sometimes losing track of time but always totally absorbed in the experience.I am struck, once again, by the narrative's poignant passages, which serve as a constant reminder of life's fragility and beauty.The story's narration highlights how life's fleeting nature gives each event an emotional depth, creating an imprint that lasts long after the last chapter. Furthermore, the characters are so charming and endearing that we can't help but grow attached to them throughout the narrative!

Im a huge Kerry Lonsdale fan and this one definitely did not disappoint. Highly recommend!!!

I truly enjoyed the dual points of view as well as the dual timeframes throughout the book. This really brought the full story together. There was a lot of mystery, secrets, family and love throughout these pages.

I loved how the learning of their ancestors really came through and it was very relatable.
Can’t wait for the next.

Julia Hope is struggling with knowing that her grandmother, Magnolia Blu’s health is deteriorating and that her days are numbered. She has cared for Julia when her mother walked out when she was three years old. She works at the aged care facility to pay for her grandmother’s care and in doing so, discovers Magnolia’s connection to another patient Liza. When she finds out that Liza will soon need to leave the facility as she has no more money, she contacts Liza’s grandson, Matt Gatlin who lives thousands of kilometres away. Matt initially refuses to visit his grandmother with whom he lived with after the death of his parents. Reluctantly, Matt packs up his car and reluctantly heads to California to confront a bitter past that he has with Liza, a woman who ignored him for the time he stayed with her. Spiralling out of control, Matt calls Julia and reveals some of his past. Yet, over the six-day trip to see Lia, he picks up a hitchhiker which changes his thoughts on everything.
I did find this story quite puzzling when Matt meets the hitchhiker, not quite understanding who she was. Other than that part of the story, I enjoyed each character’s storyline and how they finally intersected. I must admit, without revealing the story, that I particularly enjoyed the last quarter of the book, when secrets are revealed and families connect.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lonsdale is good for a consistently good read. I didn't like this as much as her Everything series but it was solid. Two stories play out here in this relatable look at being open to love...and not. Two grandmothers have a connection in the past while their grandchildren grapple with their own connection. The real life aging in assisted living and heartbreak of Alzheimer's is navigated by the granddaughter while the grandson is on a trippy journey laced with edibles to see his estranged grandmother. The outcome is somewhat predictable but satisfying.

Copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley

Join Matt Gatlin on his journey in "Find Me in California" as he unravels the mystery behind his grandmother Liza's belongings appearing on his doorstep. Meanwhile, in California, Julia Hope is struggling to come to terms with her grandmother's deteriorating health and being alone.

We follow Matt and Julia and their intersecting lives. On his six-day road trip to California, Matt uncovers shocking truths about the complicated relationship with his grandmother and discovers secrets about Liza that were previously unknown to him. Julia exposes these secrets via a long-lost diary. As truths come to light, we learn how both their grandmothers who end up at the same nursing home are connected and what that means for them both.

Reading "Fine Me in California" was a very unique reading experience. I loved the friendship that blossomed between Magnolia Blu and Liza. There's a component of magical realism that had me wondering where things were taking me. I also enjoyed the dual timeline and the multiple perspectives, which helped to give more depth to our characters.
My only gripe was wanting a more detailed exchange between the Magnolia Blu and Liza instead of snippets of letters and journal entries. I guess that was part of the intrigue. I liked the character development and growth between Matt and Julia and how their stories evolved and wrapped up.

Find Me in California is a pleasurable read about how history affects our present, the value of forgiveness, and how often traumas affect us into adulthood.


Tropes:
Magical Realism
Time Travel
Chance Meetings
Shocking Truths
Familial Ties
Dual Timeline
Multiple POV

My first read by Kerry Lonsdale and it won't be my last!

I love all of Kerry's books. This story is about family, long time friends, the history they share and how they move on...or don't. I laughed and cried at the same time. Couldn't wait to get to the end, yet didn't want it to end.

Hoping the letters/diaries are published as an add on to the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the and the publisher for the opportunity to read early!

Thank you Brilliance Publishing, Lake Union Publishing, and Kerry Lonsdale for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

Julia and Matt begin their relationship over the phone. Both of their grandmothers live in the same retirement community. They begin chatting because Julia who volunteers at the community, shipped his grandmother’s items to his home as she’s being evicted. They begin to chat as Matt makes his way to California where they’re located.

This is where it got a little weird for me. Matt encounters a woman while tripping. He stays in communication with Julia as he seems to stay with this woman he just met.

I really enjoyed seeing Julia and Matt discover their grandmother’s relationship and the truth about their shared past. The narration by Amanda Leigh Cobb was really enjoyable. I would have liked a little more depth of Julia and Matt’s relationship. It felt very surface level to me and was hard to believe their connection.

Overall I enjoyed this one and will always be excited for books from Kerry Lonsdale!

Find me in California by Kerry Lonsdale covers it all, friendship, romance, mystery, drama, love and loss. This will have you laughing, crying and angry all at the same time but you won't be able to put it down until you find out what happens. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review. You will learn never to live with regrets and you will regret it if you don't read this!

I’ve been reading Kerry Lonsdale’s novels for years now, and must say that I’m never ever disappointed. She always delivers a solid story, and continues to shine bright in the women’s fiction genre with each new release. Her forthcoming novel, FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA will appeal to a lot of readers, as there’s truly something for everyone. There’s a double dose of family drama, a hint of romance, some mystery, and even a smidge of magic. (Or is there? Hmmm, that’s a question for the reader to ponder after finishing the novel.) I found this novel extremely entertaining. I enjoyed the dual timelines, multiple perspectives, complex characters, and intriguing storyline. I was completely hooked at page one. I especially love how this story incorporates a very special family member that’s near and dear to my heart—the grandmother— and we get two of them! Heck, yes! I had wonderful relationships with my grandmothers, and this novel made me think of them often. I also appreciated the fact that it tackles some serious subject matter like: loss, grief, Alzheimer’s disease, alcoholism, drug abuse, betrayal, and abandonment. Like I mentioned earlier, this one is jam-packed! FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA is sexy, trippy, mysterious, gritty, and very unique. It releases on June 11th!

I have been a fan of Kerry Lonsdale's writing, ever since I picked up Everything We Keep in 2016. Her latest novel, Find Me in California, has a different feel from her previous novels, but it is incredibly engaging and hard to put down.
The story goes back and forth between the past and the present. The past is told via a diary that Julia learns about for the first time. It explains the animosity between Julia and Matt's grandmothers, but is dished out in a way that makes you wait for a big reveal. They were friends in the beginning! I was in suspense and just had to know what really happened with Matt and Julia's grandmothers! Matt and Julia were lost souls and my heart went out to both of them.

In the present, we learn a lot about Matt and Julia and what shaped them from adolescence into adulthood. They both had hard lives that were connected to their mothers in some way. Little did they initially know about their grandmothers having a connection in the past. Their conversations were really interesting and revealing, and my heart ached for both of them.

I don't want to say too much more as to not spoil things. While I was able to guess at something, there were still many surprises in store. I felt like I was expecting more to come from Matt's connection with the hitchhiker, but it was still a satisfying story no matter what.

Pick this one up on June 11th for a thoughtful and immersive summer read!

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of the post.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Julia: Haley Lu Richardson
Matt: Nick Robinson
Magnolia (past): Kerri Medders
Liza (past): Alexia Fast
Matty (past): Chase Stokes
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TW: Death of parent/relative, emotional abuse, miscarriage (mentioned from the past), drug usage, suicide (shown in a flashback), Alzheimer's

Matt and Julia tell this tale of their grandmothers and what becomes their love story. Matt's grandmother, who raised him, is in the care home where Julia is a volunteer and where her grandmother, who raised her, is a resident. They had very different experiences with these women but it's not until Julia discovers a diary and the two of them meet do either of them understand why. This is classic Lonsdale in many ways with themes of secrets, lies, old wounds and with Alzheimer's in the mix. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Find Me in California is the newest novel from one of my favorite authors, Kerry Lonsdale. I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and found the book to be a fantastic story.

At first the narrator’s (Amanda Leigh Cobb) voice didn’t resonate well with me, so it took me a couple of chapters to really get into the story. After the slow start, however, I couldn’t stop listening.

Kerry is a very talented writer. While this isn’t my favorite book of hers, it’s a great summer read, with just enough mystery to keep you guessing. Not to give any spoilers, but the reason for the lower rating is because of an experience the Matt has about a quarter of the way through. Maybe it’s because I was listening to the book and not actually reading it, but I found myself questioning and not really understanding what was happening. Answers are eventually revealed, but I didn’t enjoy the section nonetheless.

Overall, the book is very entertaining and well written. The story is unique and unpredictable, which is always a plus.

Overall, I’d rate the book a 3.5.

This was a complex story dealing with family and lots of secrets. I will say that I was a bit confused for the first few chapters. Having two characters with basically the same name would do that. I wasn’t entirely happy with the Julia and Matt and their actions. I grew to like them as the story goes on. I think it’s another good book by this author.

Find Me in California was a divergence for this author, and although this definitely had romantic elements, it was not as "romancy" as previous books. Although I did like this book, I didn't love the characters that were written. The characters were not as likable as past books-- Especially Matt-- and it was hard to read, at times. Although you find the reasons why in the end, (and they're legit), the drug use and self-medication of Matt really was sad. I hate to think about how his life would have imploded if he had not crossed paths with Julia.

Although this wasn't a light read, I really enjoyed the dual time lines, and the uncovering of the plot and twists slowly. The setting of the Memory Care/Nursing Home was a great setting, and I definitely felt like I enjoyed the story. I liked Julia, and her fierce loyalty to her grandmother and her family. Overall, this story was great and I would recommend it, especially to a book club or people who enjoy a bit of romance along with their mystery!

Thank you to the author, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Julia cares for her only living relative, even though she usually doesn’t remember her. Matt, a thousand miles away, has avoided his cold grandmother for a long time but now allows her back in his life. Julia and Matt’s present intersect with their past.

This one is going to be a hit because it’s got a lot of hot tickets: historical fiction with dual time lines, mysterious past friendship, budding romance, and a hint of magical realism. The latter can be a surprise, so if it’s not your thing, be aware. It’s not a major part of the story, but it surprised me for sure. I came to appreciate how it complimented the story as more was divulged.

“No wonder she’s drawn to me, another broken soul just looking to be loved.”

Find Me in California comes out 6/11.

Fantastic story about family, loss, self-worth, understanding, and friendship.

An unlikely friendship between a Hollywood girl and a girl running from an arranged marriage. One mistake changes the course of two families and the ripple effect it has. A diary that sheds light on the truth and leads two people to meet, who find out their share a family connect.

FIND ME IN CALIFORNIA is the latest riveting novel by Kerry Lonsdale. The story is heart-wrenching and heart-warming in equal measure and it kept me entranced from beginning to end. It is a story of family, love, loss and betrayal told from the points of view of four characters, two grandmothers that used to be best friends and their grandchildren, Julia and Matt, who, despite having never met, will soon discover that their lives may be inexplicably intertwined. Julia and Matt have both suffered loss and trauma, but their relationships with their grandmothers could not be more different. Many emotional and difficult topics are explored as we learn of each character’s history. This story has everything - long-buried secrets, mystery, romance and even a somewhat magical element - all interwoven into a poignant and enchanting book. I truly enjoyed this thought-provoking and complex story of second chances and destiny and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.