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Friday, May 20, 2022

Crystal Otto's 5 Star Book Review of "Waterbury Winter". A Novel by Linda Stewart Henley

 

I'm excited to be here today as part of a WOW! Women on Writing book blog tour with author Linda Stewart Henley for her book Waterbury Winter. Thank you Nicole from WOW! for the invitation to read and review this delightful novel. 

A bit about the book:

Barnaby Brown has had enough of freezing winters, insurmountable debt, a dead-end job, and his solitary life as a young widower with no one but his beloved parrot Popsicle. He yearns to move to California and reawaken his long-lost early life as an artist. But new troubles come in threes. His ancient car crashes into a snowbank. Popsicle escapes through a window carelessly left open. 

A New York gallery owner offers to represent Barnaby’s paintings—but is he on the up-and-up? All of it serves to shock Barnaby into confronting how low he has sunk, and he vows—again and again—to change. He has a few obstacles, starting with his heavy drinking and long-term neglect of his ancestral home. As he takes steps toward a better life, he re-discovers the value of old friendships and latent talents seen in new light, and finds the courage to consider a second chance at love. Rejoining the mainstream of life presents several startling mysteries he must unravel, with a few mortifying but enlightening stumbles.

A heart-warming novel about ordinary people reclaiming their dormant potential, Waterbury Winter celebrates the restorative value of art and the joy to be found in keeping promises.

Publisher: She Writes Press (May 2022)
ISBN-10: 1647423414
ISBN-13: 978-1647423414
ASIN: ‎B09CCSJM6H
Print length: 264 pages

Purchase your own copy of Waterbury Winter on Amazon, Bookshop.org, and Barnes and Noble. You can also add it to your GoodReads list.

About the Author

Linda Stewart Henley is the author of Estelle: A Novel. Among other honors, it won Silver in the Independent Publisher Book Awards for Historical Fiction and was a finalist for The Eric Hoffer Book Awards as well as for the 2021 Nancy Pearl Award. She lives in Anacortes, Washington, with her husband. Waterbury Winter is her second novel.

Visit her website at www.lindastewarthenleyauthor.com. Connect with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lindastewarthenley.

Praise for Waterbury Winter

“A reflective, witty, and fun story that elegantly crosses genres and addresses intriguing themes.”— Kirkus Reviews

“A heartfelt journey of two lost souls finding grace . . . and each other. Waterbury Winter is a must-read for anyone who believes in second chances and the power of kindness—or who wants to believe in them. This is one of those books that, when you have to put it down, you can’t wait to pick it up again.” —Donna Cameron, Nautilus Award–winning author of A Year of Living Kindly: Choices that Will Change Your Life and the World Around You

"... a page-turner. I found I could not put it down until I had reached the end. It makes you think about how you are handling your life and if you are stagnating because you are too afraid to take a chance. I enjoyed reading this book from the first page to the last and found the ending the best, due to the fact that I had started rooting early for the main characters." —Readers Favorite, 5 stars

“A tour de force reminiscent of A Man Called Ove. Barnaby Brown’s interactions and experiences unfold in such a way as to endear him to the reader. He’s not perfect, but his imperfections are what reveal his gentle and generous spirit, and we root for him at every upturn and downturn. Waterbury Winter is a memorable masterpiece.” —Saralyn Richard, award-winning author of the Detective Parrott mystery series and A Murder of Principal 

“Linda Henley manages to combine drama, romance, humor, and even an art theft mystery in the highly entertaining Waterbury Winter. The novel introduces us to Barnaby Brown, an artist who is so down on his luck there’s no farther to slide. Through fast-paced writing and a series of remarkable plot twists, Henley constantly surprises the reader as Barnaby (accompanied by his faithful parrot, Popsicle) stumbles mightily in his efforts to redeem himself and become the man he wants to be. A many-layered novel, Waterbury Winter is, above all, a moving tribute to the healing power of art.” —Laurel Davis Huber, award-winning author of The Velveteen Daughter

“… a heart-warming story of loss and love, challenge and resistance, and the power of creative expression. Henley’s masterful descriptions of character and place make these pages the perfect spot to hang out. Readers will make themselves at home, cheer for the protagonist, Barnaby, and be totally charmed by his opinionated parrot, Popsicle.” —Romalyn Tilghman, award-winning author of To the Stars Through Difficulties 

5 Star Book Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto 

Waterbury Winter is about ordinary characters who are so incredibly well written they become anything but ordinary. Barnaby Brown is far from perfect and yet he is loveable and I was cheering for him throughout the story. Love and Kindness can change the world - and it certainly changes Barnaby's world for the better. This is such an endearing story with likeable characters and a wonderful storyline. If you, like me absolutely loved A Man Called Ove - you'll find Barnaby Brown to be a new favorite too! I absolutely give Waterbury Winter 5 Stars and recommend it to both my retired mother and my teenage daughter! 



- Upcoming Blog Tour Calendar

TODAY May 21st @ Bring on Lemons
Crystal shares her thoughts about the charming Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley.

May 24th @ Author Anthony Avina's Blog
Make sure to visit Anthony's blog and read his review of Linda Stewart Henley's book Waterbury Winter

May 25th @ Beverley A. Baird
Join Beverley again as she features Linda Stewart Henley's post about inspiration in art. 

May 26th @ The Frugalista Mom
Visit Roselyn's blog as she reviews Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley. 

May 27th @ A Storybook World
Deirdra's blog features Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/

May 30th @ Liberate and Lather
Stop by Angela's blog today and read her thoughts about Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley. 

May 31st @ The Faerie Review
Lily spotlights Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley.

June 2nd @ Pages & Paws
Join Pages and Paws for their review of Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley. 

June 4th @ World of My Imagination
Nicole reviews Waterbury Winter by Linda Stewart Henley.

June 5th @ Jill Sheets Blog
Visit Jill as she interviews author Linda Stewart Henley.



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