The Sweet Life - (Cape Cod Creamery) by Suzanne Woods Fisher (Paperback)

Dawn Dixon had the world by the tail. She was a successful CPA with a big firm and looking forward to career changing promotion. Everything was prepared and she was just 2 months away from marrying her childhood sweetheart and best friend. Then it all came crashing down. Kevin, her finance canceled the wedding. As if things could not be worse she finds her mother, Marnie had breast cancer surgery and treatment without her knowledge! So what’s a girl to do? Hurting for her Mom and herself she decides they both need a break and she invites her to go with her to her honeymoon destination in Cape Cod, since the reservations can’t be canceled. She isn’t sure how this will work out as her and her mom are polar opposites. She is OCD in her planning and a control freak. Marnie on the other hand is a totally spontaneous free spirit with no boundaries! Expecting the ocean and surroundings to be healing for both of them all is well, right? What she isn’t prepared for is Marnie to buy a dilapidated ice cream shop in the historical part of town! Dawn and her deceased father’s love of ice cream and pursuit of finding the perfect recipe was Marnie’s motivation. A new start for both of them! The problem was she didn’t’ tell Dawn until AFTER the purchase. Stress does not even begin to describe Dawn’s feelings! She stays on in hope of undoing the mistake she feels her mother has made, but there are more surprises ahead. This was such a fun read! The description of the ocean and the sea side community was a getaway for me! I was caught up in Marnie’s enthusiasm and plans for the shop. I could also feel Dawn’s stress and confusion at trying to be in control of everything. I have succumbed to this attitude in the past when circumstances have overwhelmed me. Ice cream wise, I am a cookies and cream girl, but Dawn’s unusual flavor creations made me wish I could try them. I loved seeing the spiritual transformation of both women. I could relate. Marnie had great faith in God but struggled to release it in other areas. Dawn lacked faith in allow God be in control not only her life but those she loved. Both found that through life’s greatest trials God bring the most beautiful blessings and changes! I am so excited this is a series and cannot wait to read the next book! I received this book from Revell in exchange for a positive review. The ideas expressed are my own. .

Book Review: The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher What a delightful book! It is not only filled with many different kinds of ice cream creations that will make you want to drool, but it also has a very inspiring message about second chances at life. Dawn Dixon finds herself dealing with resurrected dreams of childhood ice cream creations as she visits a charming seaside town with her sporadic mother. Dawn's life seems to have just crashed down around her as she finds her wedding plans fall through and she is on her honeymoon without a groom yet romance and life changes happen to many people happen when they least expect it, and Dawn Dixon is about to experience both through God's leading. If you love ice cream, quaint seaside towns, charming shops, unexpected story twists, romantic getaways, restored relationships, and inspiring stories with purposeful life changing messages, then you will love this book. I was given this book by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.

This new book is the perfect beach read for summer and best of all, it's the first of a new series. Author Suzanne Woods Fisher introduces us to Dawn Dixon and her mother Marnie, and their relationship is typical of many mother-daughter relationships. This is a touching story that shows that good can come out of bad, tragedy can make us stronger, and love is never lost if we choose to hang on. If you enjoy mother-daughter dynamics, sweet romance, and a story sprinkled with hope and faith, you will want to read The Sweet Life. It's another feather in Fisher's writing cap, but it should come with a warning. It will certainly mess with your emotions, and it will definitely create a tremendous desire for ice cream! I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Revell Reads. There was no obligation or a positive review.

“Never invest with your heart, only with your stomach.” If you’re not looking for the nearest made-from-scratch ice creamery after you finish The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher, you may not be completely human. The extensive details about ice cream making are fascinating and show Fisher’s great research/familiarity with the cold dessert. For me, this was the strongest and best part of the book. I truly enjoyed seeing how this mother-daughter duo interacted with each other. I couldn’t decide whether I identified with Dawn or Marnie more. Each had qualities that were relatable, so I flipped back and forth, which really made me enjoy that aspect of the book. I was a fan of the novel by its end, which is superb. However, it took me a good one-third of the book to truly care about Marnie, Dawn, Kevin, and others the way I wanted to. I felt that we were told, rather than shown, much about the characters in the first part. Lincoln is such an endearing, encouraging person to have as a friend! If only there were more such selfless people in the world. His view on cancer is upbeat, and he holds out the light of Hope and faith to others traveling that scary path. Great discussion questions at the end would make a book discussion group easy to lead. I am prepared for a field trip to Cape Cod, Chatham in particular!! ————————————————————————— I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ————————————————————————— Notable Quotables: “Love does not have an expiration date.” “I’m not going to let you hemorrhage Dad’s life insurance policy on a melting ice cream cone.” “Cancer is a wonderful teacher. If you let it, it’ll teach you lessons you never dreamed you needed to learn.” “The most important thing Dawn expected from her ice cream was consistency—because she couldn’t expect it from the rest of her life.” “God wants to hear those honest prayers. No filter. From the gut…”

The Sweet Life is charming, endearing, heartwarming, and made me want to experience this story for real. I loved the mother and daughter relationship and how they grew to understand and appreciate their differences as well as discovering their similarities. I have nothing negative to say about this book except I didn’t want it to end as it checked off all my boxes for a complete package. Sometimes to find where God wants us we have to take that leap of faith and make changes that may be difficult. I loved how Marnie and Dawn found healing by stepping out of their comfort zone. An engaging, charming story of two courageous women, second chance love, and repairing relationships amidst the fun setting of an ice cream shop and the behind the scenes work. A sweet and sticky story that leaves you wanting more. I can’t wait to read book two. Make sure you grab a cone and settle in for a great read. I received a complimentary from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

This book has been such a joy to read and I really wanted to be friends with the two main characters. I loved the detailed knowledge that the author gave us in the story about ice cream. I would love to know how to make the perfect peppermint ice cream. When I was younger I remember visiting my Aunt Ida in Washington state. She had this beautiful little farm house and books that I loved reading. One day she told everyone she was going to make homemade ice cream. To my surprise was peppermint flavor. Oh how I loved it and kept going back for more. To this day my favorite ice cream is peppermint. Let’s all grab a bowl or cone filled with your favorite ice cream and find out what Dawn and her mother Marnie get themselves into. Dawn is not a happy person when she is dumped before her wedding. I know for certain if I was dumped I would never take my mother with me on my suppose to be honeymoon. But there they are together at Cape Cod. Dawn’s attitude is a bit snappy at times and I really wanted her to find a little grace. Finding out her mother had just been through breast cancer doesn’t sit well with her and this causes some disagreements between the two. I really liked seeing mother and daughter work through issues and try to understand each other better. Marnie is someone I know I would get along with. She thinks of others and has this impulsive attitude at times. I find myself doing impulsive things when I get really excited about it. Marnie is just so over the moon about opening up own ice cream shop that she jumps at the chance to buy a building while on the pretend honeymoon. I’m not i was suppose to laugh but I did because she was so thrilled to see her dream come true. I couldn’t wait to see what Dawn would think of the idea and the shop that her mother just purchased. Lincoln is one of those men who just oozes with intelligence, compassion and a deep need to help others. After what he has been through he finally got a wake up call from God. He found himself realizing that life had passed him by and he wanted to change that. I liked how he and Marnie hit it off right away. With his help you can see Marnie become more confident. He is a welcome addition to helping them open their shop. There are times that Marnie and Lincoln let their guard down and really start to open up to each other. It was refreshing to see these two mature adults become excited about life again. Watching Dawn begin to change in subtle ways was so encouraging . She has always wanted to be in control and letting her mother try new things worried her. I loved how Dawn looked at her mom in a different way. She saw her mom happy and full of life. Dawn also sees a change in a special person who she thought she had lost. This part of the story really opens up a discussion on how Dawn never wanted to take chances. She was afraid of losing control and failing. I loved the emotional time Dawn takes to ask God to help her. I loved the mother/daughter story and found it to be inspirational. We all have had a time when we didn’t get along with one of our parents and this illustrated how we need to communicate our feelings in a fair and honest way. The story is filled with a great message for all of us. We should never give up on our dream, recognize when it is time to let go of the past and most of all trust God. I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a charming story. I enjoyed my trip to Cape Cod with Dawn, Marnie, Lincoln, Kevin, Nanette, Leo, and Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge. I thought The Sweet Life was well-written with developed, realistic characters. We get to meet some of the quirky and kind characters who live in the town. One of my favorites is Leo the Cowboy and I also loved Nanette (her antics will have you laughing). It was enjoyable following Marnie and Dawn as they fixed up the building and experimented with ice cream flavors. Dawn was determined to get the best vanilla ice cream possible. They came up with some interesting flavor combinations. I loved the quotes involving ice cream before each chapter. My favorite is, “When everyone has let you down, you still have ice cream.” There were also some fascinating facts about ice cream. I can tell the author did her research for the book. I liked seeing Marnie and Dawn grow in their faith as well as find their purpose in life and where they belonged. There are good life lessons in the story including having faith and taking a risk. God will lead you down the right path if you allow Him. The Sweet Life is a story about healing, love, self-reflection, faith, and ice cream. I do need to warn you that The Sweet Life will have you craving ice cream so make sure your freezer is well stocked with your favorite flavor. I am looking forward to the next book in the Cape Cod Creamery series. The Sweet Life is a sweet treat with nosy Nanette, jumbles of junk, a fragmented engagement, various vanillas, historical hitches, a pier support problem, and incredible ice cream.

What can be more sweet and uplifting than revival of an ice cream shop on Cape Cod by a mother-daughter duo trying to escape grief and disappointment? Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers just that read through Marnie the mom, a cancer survivor and recent widow, and Dawn the daughter, a jilted bride. The backdrop of Cape Cod is gorgeous and I felt like I was far away from the daily grind of suburban living while getting to know them. Marnie is a passionate, fanciful, and sometimes flighty dreamer mired in grief from suddenly losing her husband and receiving a cancer diagnosis. Her refusal to face fear and reality gets in the way of deepening her relationships. Dawn is a straight-laced accountant who stays inside the box and plans for everything and anything; her need for control of every situation clashes with her mom’s free way but they learn more about each other and about God as they work together to revive the ice cream shop. I really liked the two supporting male characters Lincoln and Kevin. Lincoln provided wisdom from regret having turned to purpose and Kevin showed what happens when one comes back into the fold of God’s will and plan. I also enjoyed the mentions of Paul and Maeve from Three Sisters Island series, which I didn’t expect. I received the book via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

The story of Dawn Dixon and her mom Marnie is one that will long remain with me because of the relationship that the two establish during the course of the novel. Marnie is recently widowed and a breast cancer survivor, so she decides on what seems to be a whim to buy an ice cream shop and start her own business. Dawn becomes a reluctant participant in her mom’s plans after her own plans to get married to Kevin, the love of her life, fall apart. With a new perspective on life at the beach, in a little town called Chatham, a vision is born of a successful business and an enduring partnership. What a lovely, heartwarming story! The tale was not without conflict since there is a formidable foe in the shape of Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge, the head of the Historical Commission who wants to stop the Main Street Creamery from opening. The way the characters all come together was magical, with a theme of preserving the past but also looking forward to a new future. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, but Linc, the handyman who just pitches in to help and seems to always know when Marnie needs him, was my absolute favorite. He was unassuming, humble and offered common sense advice that he gave from his heart. All of the characters were realistic and I could almost taste the ice cream flavors that Dawn created. Blackberry with chocolate chunk? Sign me up! This is a feel-good story that engaged me from beginning to end and made me cheer for a happy ending for all. With wisdom from the Bible subtly interwoven into the story as well as a heartfelt prayer or two, this is Christian fiction at its best! Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I have read other books by this author so I was really excited to start this new series, Cape Cod creamery. The chapters alternated between Dawn and her mother Marnies point of view. I saw a lot of Dawns characteristics in myself which was a good thing and a bad thing. It made me wonder if sometimes I'm too rigid about my ideas and views which is a turn off to others and makes them feel like their opinions aren't valid or valued. I loved the characters and getting to know their individual personalities and back stories. I am so excited about getting to know the characters in this new town and read about the progress of the creamery. I was able to read a sneak peek at the back of the book for book 2 coming out soon which made me even more excited about the series. This was an enjoyable, clean romantic, Christian fiction story. I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

Marnie and her daughter Dawn both have bad news to share with one another. Dawn's wedding is no more and Marnie experiences big health issues. Both are hurting and they need one another. They take Dawn's honeymoon trip to Cape Cod. And there the adventure begins. This was a very engaging story with the dilapidated ice cream shop and Marnie's dream of making her late husband's dreams come true. Marnie buys the shop without consulting with Dawn and there is so much to do before it can ever function as a shop. And then there comes the town's historical commission, led by a feisty and cantankerous woman. Everything that needs doing, has to be approved by her. Dawn and Marnie don't see eye to eye on the way things should work, but will they be able to come to a common ground? The book is clean, enjoyable and a very fun read. The author did a wonderful job on this book. But all her books are top-notch!I loved the cute quotes at the start of each chapter. And there is a spiritual side to things as well. I received an ebook copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I was pleased to be chosen through Revell Reads to read and review this book. I've always enjoyed books by Suzanne Woods Fisher. This book was no exception. This review is freely given and my own thoughts. The characters in the book were very well developed. Their personalities really shown through. The book had almost no editing errors, even though this was an ARC. It is a Christian book but not preachy in the least. It hits on a couple main topics for faith. This is a modern day novel with a bit of romance but not a true romance novel. The only thing I really disliked about the book was that it ended too soon. It left a lot of open ends that the reader is supposed to fill in and decide. It wasn't a total cliffhanger, it's just that I would have preferred a more complete ending. I give this book a 4 out of a 5-star review. I would recommend this book to my friends.

3.5 stars "Dawn felt queasy, thinking of what a cliche she'd become. Jilted. Just two months before the wedding. Maybe not left at the altar, but pretty darn close." Yet, Kevin wanted her to take their non-refundable honeymoon trip to Cape Cod and enjoy it with someone else. Dawn chose . . . her mother? Leaving her fast-track-to-the-top job behind in Boston, Dawn and her mother Marnie, headed towards the upscale hotel in Chatham that should have been paradise, but "the loss she felt over losing Kevin hurt in a way she didn't know if she could ever fully recover from". As if that wasn't enough to make Dawn want to bury herself in the sand like a crab, her polar-opposite, pie-in-the-sky mother had managed to fall in love herself, with an old historic building, formerly known as The Main Street Creamery". As Dawn is pulled into helping her mother bring the old establishment back to life, the two of them discover that the building isn't the only thing that is being given a second chance at life in Chatham. Marnie's grief over the recent death of her husband, coupled with her recent health problems are being eclipsed by some brand new dreams of her own, and Dawn . . . . well, Dawn is rediscovering, or maybe allowing herself to discover for the first time, her amazing creativity; with of all things . . . . ice cream flavors. But all is not going as perfectly as the mother-daughter team would like to believe. Historic buildings require a certain measure of authenticity, and Chatham's historic commission is unbending about its regulations. Dawn and Marnie need help; they need a rescuer, maybe even two. What a charming story! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.