The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe - Lemon or Lemonade? See what Michelle DelPonte has to say!

A book review by guest reviewer Michelle DelPonte

About the Book:

Susan Jordan awakens at her Santa Fe apartment, cloudy and disoriented. Her clothing is unfamiliar. Where has she been? Her nose crinkles as she smells his scent. Jack's back! Rubber filled legs brace against the stone cold tile floor as she reaches for the pile of mail haplessly setting on the table. Dozens of letters! Jack Monroe never stops. Susan wishes he would just leave, take his advice and go back to Detroit. He's gaining too much control! He's taking over!

Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher:  Silver Leaf Books LLC (September 10, 2018)
Genre: Mystery
ISBN-10: 1609752376
ISBN-13: 978-1609752378
ASIN: B07FMX9HLH

The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe is available for purchase in print and as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.    



About the Author:  

When I was a child growing up in the Detroit area, I thought I wanted to be a painter, and then as a teenager the idea of being a musician intrigued me, then as a young adult, I realized that I’m a writer.

After attending Western Michigan University for two party filled years, I decided to leave academia and explore the real world to learn what life is truly about. For fifteen years I’ve traveled the country working in restaurants, writing and doing readings wherever I was welcome.

While living in Minneapolis during my twenties, I was fortunate enough to be tutored by Dr. Jonis Agee, who was at the time head of the creative writing department at St. Catherine’s College in St. Paul. Her lessons were imprinted in me for all of these years, and have influenced my writing ever since.

My adventures landed me in San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco, and Oregon, finally leading me to the Land of Enchantment where I’ve resided since 1994. Living in Santa Fe, and the beauty and isolation that surrounds me, has inspire my creative muse in ways that no other place has. While still working in the hospitality industry, my passion for the craft of writing has never been stronger. And I know with each sentence I write, and every paragraph I compose, my ultimate goal is to find the perfect word.

Keep on bookin!

Connect with Mary online:

Website: www.marymaurice.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marymauriceauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MMauriceAuthor


---- review by Michelle DelPonte


What can I say about this book, The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe besides I absolutely loved it!

I was so excited to get the chance to read this book that I dropped everything to go and pick it up. What I did not realize, was how engrossed I would get. The suicide rate is skyrocketing lately. I have heard of young children killing themselves. As someone who struggles regularly with clinical depression, this is horrific to me. How can someone so young not want to go on? What could possibly be so bad?

Mary Maurice tells the story of Jack Monroe indescribably well. I could feel his pain and frustrations. Jack decides that he is going to start a new career as an author of suicide notes. His reasoning is not to help people kill themselves, but to help save them. Jack’s heart is poured into these letters to remind the people what they have to live for. He reminds them of who and what they will be leaving behind. By reminding people of all they have to lose, is sometimes enough to change their mind.

While volunteering as a counselor for sexual abuse survivors, I was trained to get them to focus on something they enjoy. All it took was them wanting to see another episode of their favorite show. Jack just needed to distract his clients and remind them of how good life can be. When given the opportunity, life can surprise you. It is a lot like this book. I knew I was ecstatic to be chosen to review it. While it was not exactly what I thought, Mary did a phenomenal job with a very tough taboo topic. There needs to be more awareness to mental health, she brings this to light effortlessly.

This is a must read!


----------Blog Tour Dates

Monday September 17th @ WOW! Women on Writing
Interview & Giveaway!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

Tuesday, September 18th @ World of My Imagination
Nicole reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe for readers at World of My Imagination. Don't miss this chance to learn more about Mary Maurice's latest work!
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 19th @ Beverley A. Baird
Beverley A. Baird reads and reviews Mary Maurice's latest work, The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe and shares her thoughts on this page turning novel!
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

Thursday, September 20th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Mary Maurice writes an intriguing guest post at Choices today. Don’t miss this post and opportunity to learn about The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe. 
http://madelinesharples.com/

Thursday, September 20th @ Lisa Haselton Reviews and Interviews
Lisa Haselton interviews Mary Maurice about Maurice's latest novel The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 21st @ Bring on Lemons with Crystal Otto
Crystal reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe as readers of Bring on Lemons learn more about this latest page turner by Mary Maurice!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 24th @ Cathy Stucker's Selling Books
Don't miss today's interview with Mary Maurice and learn more about her latest book The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
https://www.sellingbooks.com/

Tuesday, September 25th @ Words from the Heart with Rev. Linda Neas
Linda reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe for readers at Words from the Heart!
https://contemplativeed.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 26th @ Bring on Lemons with Michelle DelPonte
Wisconsin mother Michelle DelPonte reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe for readers at Bring on Lemons - will this be a lemon or some tasty lemonade?
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 27th @ A Day in the Life of Mom
Ashley Bass reviews Mary Maurice's latest page turner, The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe. Don't miss her insight and thoughts on this exciting new book!
https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/

Monday, October 1st @ Strength 4 Spouses
Stop by Wendi Huskin’s blog Strength 4 Spouses where she shares her thoughts about Mary Maurice's The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
www.strength4spouses.blog

Tuesday, October 2nd @ Coffee with Lacey
Lacey reads and reviews the unusual and intriguing new novel by Mary Maurice - you won't want to miss her thoughts about The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
https://coffeewithlacey.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, October 10th @Kathleen Pooler's Memoir Writer's Journey
Mary Maurice is today's author in the spotlight at Memoir Writer's Journey. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Maurice and learn more about her latest work - The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
https://krpooler.com/

Friday, October 12th @ Author Anthony Avina
Fellow author Anthony Avina reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe by Mary Maurice!
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com


Keep up with the latest stops by following us on twitter @WOWBlogTour.


About today's reviewer:

Michelle DelPonte is a busy mom and health care worker. Her two sons are the focus of her life and she works diligently to raise awareness about autism in the community. She loves reading, anything to do with history and geocaching just to name a few of her many hobbies. Michelle, her husband Ben and their two sons Sebastian and Asher live in Manitowoc, WI on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan where they enjoy walking and biking on the Mariner’s Trail and spending time at the Library.

Book Review - The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe

About the Book:

Susan Jordan awakens at her Santa Fe apartment, cloudy and disoriented. Her clothing is unfamiliar. Where has she been? Her nose crinkles as she smells his scent. Jack's back! Rubber filled legs brace against the stone cold tile floor as she reaches for the pile of mail haplessly setting on the table. Dozens of letters! Jack Monroe never stops. Susan wishes he would just leave, take his advice and go back to Detroit. He's gaining too much control! He's taking over!

Paperback: 232 pages
Publisher:  Silver Leaf Books LLC (September 10, 2018)
Genre: Mystery
ISBN-10: 1609752376
ISBN-13: 978-1609752378
ASIN: B07FMX9HLH

The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe is available for purchase in print and as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.    



About the Author:  

When I was a child growing up in the Detroit area, I thought I wanted to be a painter, and then as a teenager the idea of being a musician intrigued me, then as a young adult, I realized that I’m a writer.

After attending Western Michigan University for two party filled years, I decided to leave academia and explore the real world to learn what life is truly about. For fifteen years I’ve traveled the country working in restaurants, writing and doing readings wherever I was welcome.

While living in Minneapolis during my twenties, I was fortunate enough to be tutored by Dr. Jonis Agee, who was at the time head of the creative writing department at St. Catherine’s College in St. Paul. Her lessons were imprinted in me for all of these years, and have influenced my writing ever since.

My adventures landed me in San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco, and Oregon, finally leading me to the Land of Enchantment where I’ve resided since 1994. Living in Santa Fe, and the beauty and isolation that surrounds me, has inspire my creative muse in ways that no other place has. While still working in the hospitality industry, my passion for the craft of writing has never been stronger. And I know with each sentence I write, and every paragraph I compose, my ultimate goal is to find the perfect word.

Keep on bookin!

Connect with Mary online:

Website: www.marymaurice.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marymauriceauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MMauriceAuthor


---- review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto
I struggled with writing this review - not because the book wasn't fabulous, but because I didn't want to say too much about anything. So here goes:

1) This book will not take you long to read at all (I devoured it in one evening and quite possibly without even breaking to use the restroom)

2) You'll love each and every plot twist Mary Maurice includes in this page turning novel; you'll be at the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next.

3) The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe is not at all a predictable read - in fact, you may finish it and have thousands of unanswered questions. It's a book that sticks with you. A book you'll want to discuss with others, and a book you'll reach for to read a second time (and possibly a third).

4) This book isn't like anything I've read before and it's quite possibly a one of a kind sort of story.

So...if you are looking for something new and unique to read and share with your friends and family, grab a few copies of The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe and enjoy each and every page!


----------Blog Tour Dates

Monday September 17th @ WOW! Women on Writing
Interview & Giveaway!
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

Tuesday, September 18th @ World of My Imagination
Nicole reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe for readers at World of My Imagination. Don't miss this chance to learn more about Mary Maurice's latest work!
https://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 19th @ Beverley A. Baird
Beverley A. Baird reads and reviews Mary Maurice's latest work, The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe and shares her thoughts on this page turning novel!
https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

Thursday, September 20th @ Choices with Madeline Sharples
Mary Maurice writes an intriguing guest post at Choices today. Don’t miss this post and opportunity to learn about The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe. 
http://madelinesharples.com/

Thursday, September 20th @ Lisa Haselton Reviews and Interviews
Lisa Haselton interviews Mary Maurice about Maurice's latest novel The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 21st @ Bring on Lemons with Crystal Otto
Crystal reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe as readers of Bring on Lemons learn more about this latest page turner by Mary Maurice!
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Monday, September 24th @ Cathy Stucker's Selling Books
Don't miss today's interview with Mary Maurice and learn more about her latest book The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
https://www.sellingbooks.com/

Tuesday, September 25th @ Words from the Heart with Rev. Linda Neas
Linda reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe for readers at Words from the Heart!
https://contemplativeed.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, September 26th @ Bring on Lemons with Michelle DelPonte
Wisconsin mother Michelle DelPonte reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe for readers at Bring on Lemons - will this be a lemon or some tasty lemonade?
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Thursday, September 27th @ A Day in the Life of Mom
Ashley Bass reviews Mary Maurice's latest page turner, The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe. Don't miss her insight and thoughts on this exciting new book!
https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/

Monday, October 1st @ Strength 4 Spouses
Stop by Wendi Huskin’s blog Strength 4 Spouses where she shares her thoughts about Mary Maurice's The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
www.strength4spouses.blog

Tuesday, October 2nd @ Coffee with Lacey
Lacey reads and reviews the unusual and intriguing new novel by Mary Maurice - you won't want to miss her thoughts about The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
https://coffeewithlacey.wordpress.com/

Wednesday, October 10th @Kathleen Pooler's Memoir Writer's Journey
Mary Maurice is today's author in the spotlight at Memoir Writer's Journey. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Maurice and learn more about her latest work - The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe.
https://krpooler.com/

Friday, October 12th @ Author Anthony Avina
Fellow author Anthony Avina reviews The Suicide Letters of Jack Monroe by Mary Maurice!
http://www.authoranthonyavinablog.com


Keep up with the latest stops by following us on twitter @WOWBlogTour.

Thank you Providence Book Promotions for allowing us this opportunity to participate in the book blog tour of The Last Weekend Of the Summer by Peter Murphy. What a fabulous book!

A little bit about the book before my review...

Synopsis
They have been coming to their grandmother Gloria’s lake cottage since they were babies. Now Johnnie and Buddy have families of their own and C.C. has a life full of adult drama and adventure. And this trip – the only stated purpose of which is to bring the family together for the last weekend of the summer – seems full of portent. Gloria has been hinting that there’s more on the agenda than grilling and swimming, and when the three siblings learn that their estranged father will also be in attendance, it becomes clear that this weekend will have implications that last far beyond the final days of the season.

A touching, incisive view into the dynamics of a family on the verge of change and filled with characters both distinctive and utterly relatable, THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER is a rich, lyrical reading experience that will resonate in your heart.

Genre: Literary Fiction

Published by: The Story Plant

Publication Date: August 28, 2018

Number of Pages: 224

ISBN: 1611882575 (ISBN13: 9781611882575)

About the Author
Peter Murphy was born in Killarney where he spent his first three years before his family had to move to Dublin. Growing up in the verdant braes of Templeogue, Peter was schooled by the De La Salle brothers in Churchtown where he played rugby for “The Wine and Gold.” He also played football (soccer) in secret! After that, he graduated and studied the Humanities in Grogan’s under the guidance of Scot’s corner and the bar staff, Paddy, Tommy and Sean. Murphy financed his education by working summers on the buildings sites of London. He also tramped the roads of Europe playing music and living without a care in the world.

But his move to Canada changed all of that. He only came over for a while and ended up living there for more than thirty years. He took a day job and played music in the bars at night until the demands of family life intervened. Having raised his children and packed them off to university, Murphy answered the long-ignored internal voice and began to write. He has published five novels so far and has begun work on a new one. Nowadays, he lives in beautiful Lisbon with his wife Eduarda and their well-read dog, Baxter.



Connect with Peter at:
– peterdmurphy.com
– Twitter – PeterD_Murphy
– Facebook – PeterDMurphyAuthor


Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto
I have to begin by telling you I had no idea how this book was going to end. It was just like real life - funny, raw, edgy, filled with emotions, and completely unpredictable. The Last Weekend Of The Summer was a joy to read and I would feel comfortable allowing my teenage children to read the book as well. There wasn't anything that struck me as inappropriate for readers of all ages.

I finished this book weeks ago and still find the characters coming across my mind - they are well-written and each one has qualities I found myself loving and hating at the same time. What sticks with me most is the thought of what we all leave behind - what will our legacy be? As a young mother or a mother with young children (whichever way you prefer to look at it), it's hard for me to fathom our family dynamics in a few years when everyone is grown with relationships and potentially families of their own. I love how Peter Murphy explored family dynamics and relationships in this beautiful story - I would absolutely recommend The Last Weekend of  the Summer to friends and family (might also be appropriate for a book club read).

Thank you again Peter D. Murphy 

and Providence Book Promotions!

About today's reviewer

Crystal is a council secretary and musician at her church, birth mother, babywearing cloth diapering mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their five youngest children (Carmen 11, Andre 10, Breccan 4, Delphine 3, and baby Eudora), two dogs, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff here, and at WOW!Women on Writing - Crystal is dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade!

A Taste of Fall - Recipes for Applesauce Cake, Caramel Sauce, Applesauce, and Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy Harvest Time! Here I am in my little corner of the cornfield here in lovely Wisconsin. The nights are getting cooler and we are in the middle of many things, one of them being chopping hay and right around the corner will be the corn. I've been busy canning spaghetti sauce, corn, tomato juice,  ketchup, salsa, and applesauce. Next up comes the pears, more apples, pumpkin, and then we can start the process for sauerkraut. This is a busy yet rewarding time of the year. I'm first going to give you the recipe for this delicious caramel apple cake with cream cheese frosting and then I'll also give you the recipe for my homemade applesauce as well as the homemade caramel. You can absolutely make the recipe with store bought ingredients though - so don't be intimidated! This cake embodies everything fall to me - enjoy it with a steaming latte in the wee hours of the morning and start your day off on the right foot!

Hugs,

~Crystal

Caramel Apple Cake (aka Applesauce Cake)

Cake Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 C sugar
1 C applesauce (chunky is nice)
2 eggs
2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T cinnamon
1 pinch cloves
optional: raisins or walnuts

Instructions:
Cream together your butter, eggs, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. If your butter is already room temperature this will work fine - if it's cold, just heat it up a bit before you begin. Now is about the time I turn on the oven to preheat it to 350F - I let the mixer do the work!

If you're using homemade applesauce, I wouldn't add so much cinnamon and cloves, but that's up to you. Add the cloves, cinnamon, etc... but not the flour yet. Make sure everything is mixed well and then add the flour. You may need to adjust the flour a bit depending on where you live, time of day, humidity, etc... but ultimately your batter shouldn't be as runny as pancake batter but not as firm as a cookie dough.

Grease your 9x13 pan and then add the cake mix and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean - 34-45 minutes at my house.

While the cake is baking, you can make your caramel sauce and cream cheese frosting- if you're not making it from scratch (you can totally buy caramel ice cream topping and cream cheese frosting), you can just relax during this part!

In case you want to make the frosting and such - those recipes are below.

When cake is done - allow to cool in the pan.

Using the end of a wooden spoon, poke holes in the cake (if you're like me, you'll need to space them just right so there's 13 rows of 8 holes in each row...but honestly, just poke some holes!!)

Pour the caramel over the top of the cake so the holes are filled and the cake is glazed with caramel deliciousness.

Frost with cream cheese frosting and if you have more caramel left, drizzle it on top - and maybe sprinkle some nuts along the top too - dress it up as you see fit and enjoy!

Caramel Sauce 

Ingredients:

1 C brown sugar

1 stick butter

1 pinch of sea salt

1 t vanilla

1/2 C heavy cream

Instructions:

Combine sugar and butter in a pan on the stove (low heat)  - stirring continuously. Add sea salt and vanilla - keep stirring. Add the heavy cream and stir until smooth and evenly combined. Remove from heat and continue stirring until caramel is room temperature and then it's ready to add to your cake (see above) or enjoy with ice cream. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 C sour cream

1 T vanilla

2 C powdered sugar

1 stick butter

Instructions:

All ingredients should be room temperature - just cream them together using a stand mixer (or hand mixer). If you'd like to add pumpkin pie spice, caramel, or cinnamon you can - depending on the recipe, this might be desirable. 

Enjoy!

Home Made Apple Sauce - Made Easy

Ingredients:

4-6 medium sized apples

1/4 C sugar or honey

2 T lemon juice

1 T cinnamon

1 dash of cloves

Instructions:

You may core and peel your apples if you wish - but when I make a dozen quarts at a time, I simple core the apples and leave the skins on (then at the very end, I use a hand blender to blend the skins down so you don't know they're still in there) - totally your call! Anyway - get your apples into a pan (with or without the skins, but definitely cored). 

Using medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients and stir together then cover the pan. Check back and stir often until it begins cooking down and then remove the lid. After 1-15 minutes, you should be able to blend or mash the mixture - if you like chunky applesauce, just mash with a potato masher and enjoy, but if you've left the peels on, you'll want to blend the mixture so it's not as chunky. Voila! 

Enjoy! 

Wisconsin Educator, Mother, & Business Owner Cathy Hansen Reviews "Rose Colored Glasses" by Jo Ann Simon

Thank you WOW! Women on Writing for including us as a blog stop on the book blog tour of Jo Ann Simon's  Rose Colored Glasses- it truly is a pleasure!



Head over to JoAnn's blog for more reviews and information about this fabulous memoir! 

Dear Tom,
I'm back on Anna Maria Island... missing you.
But walking down these beautiful beaches reminds me of us and makes
me feel a little less far away from you. And that encourages me as I am writing our story.
Hopefully this will help other people who are feeling our pain too.
I love and miss you every day, darling.
Love,
Me

When he first saw me, Tom said that he would spend the rest of his life with me. To my surprise, he actually did. He was the love of my life. We shared a story that felt like a dream. Every moment was an adventure... and then Tom became ill. As his mysterious symptoms persisted we were hurtled through a maze of fear, tests, doubts and sorrow. But while doctors toyed with diagnoses--Lyme disease, ALS--we filled each day with joy, hope, good food, wine, music and travel. Even when death came to crush our storybook romance, we found that the human spirit is greater than the frailties of the body, greater than suffering and grief.

From the fateful tick bite on Block Island to central nervous system failure, to healing my grief and loss, I stayed afloat, upbeat, and connected to Tom through devotion, true love, and by donning my own special pair of rose-colored glasses.

Paperback:  288 Pages
Publisher:  WiDO Publishing (May 29th 2018)
Genre: Memoir
ISBN-10: 1947966049
ISBN-13: 978-1947966048

Rose Colored Glasses is available for purchase in print and as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.  



About the Author:

Jo Ann Simon, a corporate executive, is a lifelong nutmegger, living in various locations in the Nutmeg state of Connecticut. She is a constant traveler, exploring the world including her favorite country, Italy. When she is not traveling, Jo Ann loves spending time with her family, friends and her seven grandchildren. Her day job running a company, painting fine art, gardening and writing fill in the blanks of her life. Palm trees are essential in her personal landscape with beaches to match.

Find JoAnn Online:

Website: https://www.joann-simon.com/

Blog: https://forgetmenotjosi.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ForgetMeNotJoSi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joannsimonauthorpage/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-ann-simon-27626518/

Instagram: forgetmenotjosi



Keep up with other book tours by following us on twitter @WOWBlogTour.


Review by Cathy Hansen:


Rose Colored Glasses is a story of love, loss, and optimism in the face of terrible obstacles. Jo Ann Simon bravely tells the tale of her journey with her husband, from their meeting and eventually falling in love and marrying, and through his health struggles that eventually took his life. One would expect this to be a sad tale, but Simon is able to point out the silver lining even through the difficult times.

Simon allows readers a window into her life as she shares her joys and her struggles, both the wonderful moments with her husband, as well as the heartbreaking days of dealing with his illness, doctors, and treatments. Rose Colored Glasses is a beautiful book for those dealing with the loss of a loved one, thanks to Simon’s positivism and the way she pushes on and works through the loss, never forgetting the good times. I particularly enjoyed the letters Simon included in the book, telling her husband Tom about her visit back to the vacation destination they had enjoyed together before his illness.

Rose Colored Glasses is also a book of hope, understanding, and awareness about ALS. Even though I know of families who have been touched by ALS, I didn’t know much about the mysterious illness or how families struggle to find a diagnosis. Simon’s story is a powerful tool to help others understand what families go through when an illness like ALS strikes. Thank you, Jo Ann Simon, for bravely sharing these moments with your readers.

About today's reviewer:

Cathy Hansen is a wife, mom, teacher, independent
beauty consultant, and small business owner. She and her husband operate SeedsNBeans, a local nature store, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.