"Welcome to the Honey B&B" by Melody Carlson is a heartwarming novel that delves into themes of family, resilience, and new beginnings. The story follows Jewel McKerry, who returns to her Oregon hometown to assist in caring for her father, CT, diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Facing personal and financial challenges, Jewel persuades her parents to transform their aging farmhouse into a bed and breakfast, aiming to rejuvenate their lives and finances. ​
Susan Loves Books

Carlson's portrayal of dementia caregiving is both authentic and compassionate, reflecting her personal experiences. The narrative seamlessly weaves humor and heartfelt moments, offering readers a genuine glimpse into the complexities of family dynamics and caregiving. ​
Library Journal

The characters are richly developed, with Jewel's internal struggles and growth being particularly compelling. The evolving relationships, especially with old acquaintances and new neighbors, add depth to the storyline. Set against the picturesque backdrop of rural Oregon, the novel paints a vivid picture of farm life and community bonds.​

"Welcome to the Honey B&B" is more than just a story about starting a bed and breakfast; it's a testament to the strength of family, the challenges of caregiving, and the hope that comes with embracing change. It's a must-read for those seeking an inspiring and emotionally resonant tale.

This book was awesome! I have come to expect incredible things from Melody Carlson and I was not disappointed. I loved the characters, the setting, and how well written and thought through the plot line was.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

Welcome to the Honey B&B is an emotional tale about a family who comes together to help take care of a family member who is suffering from a serious illness. It reminds us to appreciate the important things like family and to also remember to take care of yourself too. It also reminds us that it is okay to ask for or accept help when circumstances become to much. You don’t have to shoulder the burden alone, it is okay to lean on someone else at times.
The ending felt very abrupt and didn’t make sense. It ends with Jewel about to welcome her first guests and Honey and CT are just about to work a shift at the produce stand and that’s it.

Very touching story of real life. Just like all of us, the main characters have ups and downs, wins and losses, joys and heartaches.
But is also a story of forgiveness and healing relationships.
It also gives us an understanding of what it's like to be a caregiver to someone who needs 24 hour care.
Highly recommend.

This is the first Melody Carlson book I am reading and, honestly, I would return again and again to her stories. I loved the topics of the book, felt moved by the family dynamics, laughed with the characters and felt heartbroken for them. The story made me feel deep, but I have to admit that a couple of times I felt the need to let it for a couple of days before returning to it, but it was definitely worth it.
When it comes to the style of the book, I enjoyed the multiple POV, it felt like the perfect structure for this type of story line, it makes it more real, easy to grasp and it definitely makes it hit harder. Loved the choice of names also!
Sad, yet heartfelt and uplifting!

Rating: 3.5/5.

Welcome to the Honey B&B was another great book by Melody Carlson, an author who's books I have enjoyed much over the years! This one was especially touching to read, as I had read of Melody's husband's FTD diagnosis in her newsletters to fans, including the sad announcement of his death a few days before Christmas. Reading this 'fictional' story, I was aware that her own personal experience had given her firsthand knowledge of what it was like living with and caring for a loved one with FTD. She did an excellent job of the detailing the 24/7 care needs, the vigilance of trying to keep them from being injured, the unpredictabily of their actions and the need for extra hands to help in the care. You could feel the rollercoaster of emotions... love and sorrow, of course...but also frustration, the exhaustion, bursts of anger, guilt for that, uncertainty, and dealing with the 'why??' aspect. Life is so unfair at times! The cast of characters and the story line made for a most interesting read, and sprinkled through it are tips that would be helpul to others dealing with FTD patients. Like seeing the humor in situations that make you want to cry or scream.... how too much info can cause more confusion in a confused mind, etc. It was uplifting to see how this family pulled together to provide care, and each one grew as a person in doing so. I'm sure this was a heartwrenching book to write, but I think it will bring more understanding and compassion to the plight of families dealing with FTD.

This was an interesting story. Two of the main characters are in their 60s and one of them, the dad, has early onset dementia. He is one of the narrators for a couple chapters which is fascinating. I have two family members who have had dementia and alzheimers. I found myself nodding in sympathy and agreement at parts of the story and felt other parts (working on establishing a b&b at this time, easy acceptance of a new home) were not as realistic. But that's the beauty of a novel. It doesn't all have to make sense in reality. Everyone's experience of dementia is so different, maybe it's not as farfetched as it seemed to me.

I liked all of the characters. It was fun learning more about bees and hardship housing. It was an enjoyable fast read. I'd recommend it.
Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars: Welcome to Honey B&B by Melody Carlson is a warm, cozy read filled with humor and heart. The characters are relatable, and the small-town setting adds a lovely charm to the story. I enjoyed the themes of family, second chances, and finding hope in difficult times. The relationships between the characters felt genuine, and there’s a nice balance of lightheartedness and deeper emotions. While the story can be predictable at times, it’s still an enjoyable and uplifting read.

This book deals with the day to day of living with a family member who has dementia, specifically Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Through personal experience with this type of dementia, the author depicts how the illness not only affects the dementia patient, but the entire family.

Jewel, and her daughter Copper, move back to Jewel’s girlhood home to assist her mother, Honey, with the day-to-day care of Jewel’s dad, CT. When Honey vowed to love CT in sickness and health, she never imagined spending their retirement years hiding the guns so CT wouldn’t shoot the neighbors (specifically Miguel), putting out literal fires, and watching True Grit at least once a day. Because her beloved husband, CT, now has frontotemporal dementia and needs round-the-clock care, Honey is worried that she can’t handle it all on her own.

Through CT’s eyes, the author gives us a glimpse inside the mind of someone who is living with this type of dementia. I loved Honey’s character. She was extremely passionate and patient with her husband, even on his most frustrating days. Although, like all of us, she was not perfect and did get frustrated with him at times, but she still loved and cared for him. Jewel and Copper, who both struggled with whether the move was the right choice in the beginning, grew as individuals, and by the end of the book were both extremely happy with the choices that were made.

While they never actually get to opening the B&B during the story, they do work on getting the house ready to become a B&B, and as the story ends it is set to open soon.

I was provided a copy of the book from the author/publisher. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own.

This is an exceptional book! I laughed, and I cried. I appreciate Melody Carlson's transparency as her husband passed away from the illness one of the characters has.

The characters are relatable and easy to like! I can honestly say that I loved all of them. I was deeply invested in each of their lives as the family dealt with difficult issues. If I had to choose a favorite, it would be Miguel. He's just 😍. He's so calm and compassionate even when he's being blamed for things he didn't do. His willingness to help out with any project is exemplary. Honey is the one who touched my heart the most. I can't imagine the pain of watching a loved one suffer with dementia. She's so patient and loving.

My favorite quote is at the very end. Honey asks CT if he can make it. He says, "With my Honey...I can. I can make it."

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Revell via NetGalley through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jewel moves her teenage daughter back home when she needs to help her mother take care of her father who's developed early onset memory problems.

It's a big change for the whole family! Jewel learns CT's, her father, disease is progressing faster than Honey, her mother, can keep up with - he starts wandering and has fights with the neighbor, Miguel. She convinces them to turn their house into a B&B, so they can remain on their land and have income to take care of them all. Cooper spends time with her grandfather learning to keep his bees. There is a slow burn romance, a coming together of family and friends and a new start for them all.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This is such a sweet book. This particular story has personal connections for the author and knowing that, makes this story even more poignant. Written with wit, humor, faith and hope, this story packs an emotional wallop showcasing a family dealing with their patriarch once he’s diagnosed with dementia and the toll that takes on his wife, daughter and granddaughter. The characters are well written and relatable and the story is still joyful and light even with the hard elements of the story. A wonderful read!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and also purchased my own Audible copy. I was not required to post a positive review and all thoughts are my own.

Honey and CT McKerry live on a farm. CT has been diagnosed with FTD (Frontotemporal Dementia). Caring for CT is exhausting for Honey.

They have a daughter, Jewel, who is the divorced mother of a teenage daughter, Cooper, who is going through a rough time and suffering from low self-esteem. Knowing her parents need her plus Cooper needs a change, Jewel sells her condo and her art gallery and heads to Oregon to live with her parents.

At first, Cooper is very reluctant but soon settles in and Jewel sees the help that her parents need and is glad to be there. Soon, Jewel feels that a smaller home on the farm for her parents is what they need so she purchases it and then begins renovations on the farm house with hopes of turning it into a B&B. She also hopes to turn the barn into an art gallery.

Her father’s continued decline is a trial for all of them but when her mother is diagnosed with high blood pressure, Jewel knows that they both have to slow down. Things aren’t without some complications. A neighbor widower with a daughter Cooper’s age is very welcoming and helpful although her father thinks he is a bad person which he isn’t. Another old high school flame tries to throw some roadblocks out but Jewel sets him straight.

As Jewel’s plans take hold and things turn out just as she wished, the family settles into their new lives and all seem to be happy.

This is a book that shows the challenges faced when a family member is as ill as CT is. In addition to so many people diagnosed with dementia today, it’s certainly a reminder to be thankful for the graces and good health in our lives. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Due to the subject matter, and the fact that I know a few people with dementia, I wasn't quite sure about this book since that is a key theme. However, I have read many books by Carlson. I have loved them all, and she always handles difficult topics in a delicate manner, so I decided to check this one out. I am so glad I did! I love the multi-family angle to the story. While this is certainly not the lighter read that some readers may expect from Carlson, this is one that definitely deserves to be read and will likely resonate with many people, as so many have loved ones living with dementia. The setting is lovely, and the detailing made it so easy to visualize the B&B. And you can't help but connect to the the strong, relatable characters. Themes of love, faith, and family are prominent throughout the story. It's a beautifully written story that accurately showcases a devastating disease. Readers may want to have tissues nearby as there may be a few tears throughout this faith-filled story. This is a book that will stick with me even though I have turned the final page.

Readers who enjoy inspirational stories will love this heartfelt book. Told in three first person accounts, early onset dementia will become real to readers as the story progresses. The author’s personal experience with FTD as explained in the note gives the story an authentic take. Loved the characters! It’s enjoyable to see families bonding and working together. Recommended!

When you stand at the altar in all your wedding finery and you promise to love that other person ‘in sickness and in health’ you don’t usually think that all the way through. And why would you? You’re typically still young enough at this stage that the possibility of a life-disrupting illness never crosses your mind. But for Honey McKerry, her husband’s FTD diagnosis (a type of early onset dementia, not the florist) means she is living a very different life than she imagined she would be in her late sixties. The sort of altered life that author Melody Carlson knows from personal experience with her own late husband’s FTD diagnosis, as explained in the note at the end of Welcome to the Honey B&B, something which gives this story not only an air of tender authenticity but also lots and lots of heart.

I’m not gonna lie, parts of this book were emotionally exhausting – and that’s not a bad thing because it means the characters showed me what it’s like to walk a mile in their shoes. CT’s dementia – the humorous, the frustrating, the sweet, and the heartbreaking sides of it – and what it’s like to live with it as a spouse and as a family is so well-written, including the occasional snippets portrayed from his point of view, that my heart welled up with compassion for him, his wife Honey, and their adult daughter Jewel (a single mom who moves back home with her teenage daughter Cooper to help out). The author does keep the story as light as possible though, and some well-timed wit and a hint of romance lift the mood whenever needed. My favorite part of Welcome to the Honey B&B though? The character growth in 13-year-old Cooper!

Bottom Line: Welcome to the Honey B&B by Melody Carlson proves that grace tastes a whole lot like a peanut butter & honey sandwich and smells a whole lot like a fresh coat of paint. I felt so deeply for these characters and their journey through frontotemporal dementia as a family, and my respect for those currently in the trenches with a loved one in this battle grew a hundredfold. CT and Honey, Jewel and her daughter Cooper, and next door neighbor Miguel (who deserves accolades for his compassion and understanding) all took up residence in my heart before all was said and done, and I appreciated the layers that Carlson gave them. The very light dash of romance between Jewel and Miguel may not be the focus of this story but it is a sweet bonus that of course I enjoyed. Fans of Katie Powner, Amanda Cox, and Sara Brunsvold will feel right at home in Welcome to the Honey B&B too!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Not what I expected, but still a nice read. the story deals with one man’s battle with dementia, and the way his family comes together in order to care for him, and each other. A lovely Christian fiction read, and while billed romance, it is more of a women’s fiction, with romantic elements thrown in.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

This is a somewhat humorous and empathetic look at a family dealing with the dad having dementia and all of the problems that result from his illness. Jewell returns home to help out her mom with her dad and decides that changes have to be made and quickly in order to keep him safer. The two-story house that her parents have lived in for years will not work any longer for a man who continues to stumble and fall, so she resolves to turn the old house into a B & B and install her parents on a new manufactured home on the property nearby. The determination of Jewel to help her parents is heartwarming, even if she does seem to move faster than they can keep up with. I really enjoyed the multi-layered plot, with a teen daughter not wanting to move and having to establish new friendships, a mom with her own health problems, a neighbor who is helpful and kind but whom her dad does not like and a former classmate who is trying to strike up a new romance. Jewell manages to keep her eyes on her goal, get the help she needs and awakens to new insight into the lives of her parents and some self-discovery truths, too. I liked the dynamics between the realistic characters and the way they each had their own individual strengths that made the well-paced story work so well. I liked Jewell’s ability to think outside of the box and to be willing to make sacrifices for herself and Cooper in order to help out her parents. This is a wonderful story, with a hint of romance and a lot of love for family on every well-written page.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own honest ones.

Melody Carlson wrote an inspiring heartfelt story based on her own experiences with the early onset dementia of her husband in her new book, Welcome to the Honey B&B. In this very special tribute, Carlson shares the ups and downs of dementia and the life-changing impact on loved ones with her readers. Filled with love, compassion, humor, and faith, Carlson, with her exquisite prose, draws her readers into the world of caregivers, in this unforgettable story.

Set in a small Oregon town on a little bee farm in the country we join three generations as they come together working toward common goals with the help of God as they care for CT. Honey, the loving wife of CT, is overwhelmed as his dementia worsens affecting her own health. Jewel, his artist daughter, and his rebellious granddaughter Cooper, move back to the farm to help their mother with caring for him. I was so drawn to this family and felt all of their heartfelt moments as they each interacted with CT constantly with respect. 

Carlson reminded us throughout this story that we all need help in our lives sometimes, and that it is okay to ask for assistance when we need it, as sometimes it takes a village to care for those we love.

I highly recommend Welcome to the Honey B&B, a touching story of romance, laughter, and redemption, by Melody Carlson, who teaches life's lessons with sweetness with her Christian romance stories.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell Publishers via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

Welcome to the Honey B&B by Melody Carlson is a heartwarming story. I felt for the family who is caring for CT who has frontotemporal dementia (FTP—Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with this disease). They need to keep an eye on him constantly (he is wily and can disappear in an instant). I cannot imagine what it would be like to have your father (or grandfather, mother, etc.) not recognize you (heartbreaking). I was surprised that the family did not utilize items with modern technology that would help them keep better track of CT (baby monitor, tracking device, security cameras around the farm, sensor alarms). I felt for Jewel who was discovering the severity of her father’s condition. I thought it was wonderful how she worked to find ways to help her parents. I like the fact that the characters were realistic with flaws. I liked all but one side character (I wanted to toss this guy off a cliff). The romance was the slow burn type which suited the story (it did not need to be rushed). I was not a fan of a certain man causing problems though (same guy that I want to toss off a cliff). My favorite character was Jewel’s daughter, Cooper. It was great how she cared for her grandfather and learned to care for the bees. I appreciated the author’s note at the end in which she explains why she wrote the novel and her experiences with a loved one who has frontotemporal dementia. Welcome to the Honey B&B is a touching tale with a father with FTD, a green haired granddaughter, picking paint colors, buzzing bees, a pesky contractor, fun at the fair, friendly neighbors, and a loving family.