Review of Happily Ever Ashten

Title: Happily Ever Ashten

Author: Erynn Mangum

Series: Carrington Springs book 3

Chapters: 19 plus epilogue  

Pages: 325

Genre: Christian Chick lit new adult

Rating: 5 stars

     Happily Ever Ashten is the last book in the Carrington Springs series by Erynn Mangum. Ashten has lived in Carrington Springs her whole life and has pretty much worked at her grandparent's restaurant her entire life it seems. Now that she is a teacher she still works at the resultant in the summer, but at 31 she wants more. Her family her father especially wonder why she's not married yet. As a 30 year old who's father asks the same question on repeat I can relate. She's living in a room in Katie's house and she knows that's going to have to change because Katie's is getting married. 

     Eliza gets it in her mind to play matchmaker between Mike and Ashten about the time that Ashten's ex-boyfriend the one she thought she was going to marry comes back to town.  Ashten is torn she doesn't know what to do. But then her grandmother gives her some awesome advice that sounded just like something my own would say. 

     Happily Ever Ashten wraps up the series nicely Katie and Eliza get their happy endings and we see the direction that Ashten's future is taking. Though I wish we could have seen Ashten's happily Ever After too, since it is the title of her book, but we did sort of get a look at it with the comment the guy who won her heart said.  I am looking forward to her next book or series. I've already finished one novella she wrote this year, review to come, and as always I look forward to her Christmas one this year.

Review of Once Upon a Eliza

Title: Once Upon a Eliza

Author: Erynn Mangum

Series: Carrington Springs book 2

 

Chapters: 20

Pages: 322

Genre: Christian Chick lit new adult

Rating:  5 stars

     Once Upon an Eliza is the second book in the Carrington Springs series by Erynn Mangum. Even though it's not a true sequel you do need to read Katie in Waiting first. As most of the character's are introduced in the first book.  Eliza is a maternity nurse who moved to Carrington Springs to get away from her brother Mike and his friend Cooper.  Since losing both of their parents Mike has become overprotective of his little sister.  Eliza sees Cooper her brother's best friend as a slight pest. he's a firefighter when not working is always trying to find things to fix at Eliza's house. 

     I liked Eliza better than I did Katie. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I could relate to Eliza; and what she had gone through in life. I too lost two loved ones one suddenly the other slowly just like Eliza did.  Unlike Eliza though I don't know the loss of both parents, but do know the sting of the loss of a mom.  It's a sting that doesn't begin to ease quickly. 

     I've been a fan of Erynn's books since I accidentally discovered Miss Match in the Lauren Holbrook series in the teen selection of my library. Miss Match wasn't teen it was basically Christian Chick lit. A chick flick you can read. I had tried to read chick lit before but had always been disappointed by the content. But Erynn's books our different the chick lit is infused with Christian faith and message of and lesson of learning to trust God and his promises and to rely on him.  Each of Erynn's books are no different and Once upon an Eliza continued that trend. I discovered her books in my early twenties the same age as most of the characters in that first series, and now at 30 her three heroines in the Carrington Springs series are also in their 30s. Erynn's books always find a way to be relevant for whatever age or stage in life I am. 

     I enjoyed book two and I can't wait to see what book three holds. There's a seen towards the end between Eliza and the hero that starts her realizing that what she wanted was actually right in front of her all along. Which I thought   was cute. You never know where loves going to find you.