Author:  Melissa Senate
Trade-Size Paperback
ISBN:  9781439107171
340 pages




Book Description:

As 28 year old New York paralegal Rebecca Strand's widowed father lays dying, he confesses a secret: he had an affair 26 years earlier when Rebecca was just a toddler. Now he wants Rebecca to deliver the secret stash of letters he wrote, but never mailed, to the daughter he fathered. Rebecca's lawyer boyfriend, Michael, is adamant that she forget the woman exists. He's sure the woman will be an opportunist who will demand half of Rebecca's father's million-dollar estate. But Rebecca, now without any family in the world, can't help but wonder about her one living relative. With her relationship with Michael in tatters, Rebecca drives from New York City to Maine to find Joy Jayhawk, who operates a Weekend Singles Tour service out of an orange mini-van that her regulars dub "The Love Bus." Enter a cast of lovable, colorful characters, from Joy's eccentric mother to the singles on The Love Bus, and a sexy carpenter for whom Rebecca finds herself unexpectedly falling in love...

My Thoughts:

Melissa Senate has become one of my favorite authors.  She is able to create such realistic, relatable characters and intriguing storylines, many times drawn from her real-life experiences.  THE SECRET OF JOY is no exception.  I literally did not want this book to end.  I loved all of the characters and the story held so much depth and meaning. 

I have been wanting to visit Maine for years.  This book makes me want to go there SO much more!  Hopefully one day I will be able to take an extended vacation and go there with my husband.  The picture that Ms. Senate paints is one of beauty and peace.  I love reading books set in Maine, so this one was extra special because of that!

Rebecca's journey of self-discovery felt so real to me.  I felt like I was with a friend when I was reading this book.  I'm not going to go through the synopsis again.  The only thing I can say is that if you are a fan of women's fiction, this book is a must read.  I would not classify it as chick lit, because it has much more depth and delves into serious relationships.  It's definitely much deeper than chick lit.

The only thing I can say is that I loved this book and I very highly recommend it!!  5+ stars! 

Interested in winning a copy of this amazing book??  I'll be posting a giveaway shortly, so stay tuned!!!