Sloth Goes Places - Idaho

 

Sloth Goes Places is a feature where I share books I have tracked from previous Literary Escapes reading challenge hosted by Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book.

Today we are looking at books set in ....

Idaho

I know when someone says "Idaho", I automatically think of potatoes, but there is a lot more to like about this state. I have never had the pleasure of visiting, but every picture I see shows its rugged beauty. Usually, Idaho is so difficult for me to check off, but this year, I read several books set in the state. It was quite a surprise, and the books were great, too. 

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The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on March 28, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely...but still she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her. Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane's day that when Arthur doesn't show up one morning, she's instantly concerned. And then another day passes, and another.

Anxious, Sloane tracks the old man down only to discover him all but bedridden...and desperately struggling to hide how happy he is to see her. Wanting to bring more cheer into Arthur's gloomy life, Sloane creates an impromptu book club. Slowly, the lonely misfits of their sleepy town begin to find each other, and in their book club, find the joy of unlikely friendship. Because as it turns out, everyone has a special book in their heart—and a reason to get lost (and eventually found) within the pages.

This beautiful story of connection is one for the book lovers out there. It really highlights our need for community, as well as the magic of books. Each and every character endeared themselves to me, and the book references were the icing on the cake.

[review]

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The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on September 24, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Sarah Morgenthaler is back with a heart-mending contemporary romance featuring a single dad you'll fall for; a satisfying slow burn love affair; found family you'll root for; small town holiday magic; and all the quirky animals and snowy rustic scenes your heart desires.

Sienna Naples's family has taken care of their wild Idaho land for generations and Sienna can't imagine any other life. But at Christmastime, with her parents gone and her painful marriage finally over, it's full of memories...and incredibly lonely. Until a tall, handsome stranger and a little girl walk into her life and suddenly the holidays are alive again.

When single father Guy Maple shows up as the result of an ad meant to be a joke, the handsome Montana construction worker isn't joking. Money is tight this Christmas, and Guy's four-year-old daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease. She needs a kidney transplant, but if Guy can't prove that he can afford Emma's anti-rejection medications, his daughter isn't going to stay on the transplant list. Guy's willing to do anything, including marrying a stranger, to keep her safe. It's an impulsive marriage of convenience, and Sienna knows this isn't real, no matter how much she adores Emma, how well Guy fits in to the ranching life—or how much light and laughter is coming into their lives as a result. But the more time she spends with her new family, the more she fears losing the fragile, feisty little girl and the kind, devoted, hard-working, incredibly attractive man who is her husband—but is it only in name?

My heart exploded for multiple reasons as I read this book, but mostly because it was such a warm and wonderful story of love and healing. It started out with so much humor, with Sienna's friend posting Husband-for-Hire ads, but things got real when Sienna opened her home and her heart to Guy and his daughter. There were so many sweet and touching moments, and lots of emotional ones, too. I both sobbed and smiled my face off making this a perfect read for me. 

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15 Summers Later by RaeAnne Thayne
Published by Canary Street Press on June 18, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

15 summers ago, everything changed…

Ava Howell seemed to have it all. She moved away from Emerald Creek, Idaho, married the love of her life and published a bestselling memoir. But she never expected that her husband would feel so betrayed by a secret from her past—the truth of what happened to her and her sister all those years ago—that he’d walk away. Now Ava is back home and trying to move on with the only person who can truly understand…

Following years of healing, Madison Howell is finally happy. After college she built a no-kill shelter where she works with animals every day, and she’s in love with the town veterinarian, Dr. Luke Gentry. But she can’t ever bring herself to tell him. Years ago, his dad died protecting Madi and her sister, so how could he ever love her back?

With the truth laid bare, and the past that Ava and Madison have worked so hard to leave behind threatening everything they have built for themselves, the Howell sisters’ reunion is bittersweet. And as Ava and Madi attempt to remedy the rifts in their lives and reconcile their futures, they must face the demons of their past together.

The sisters in this story had endured such horrific events, but here they were, 15 summers later. They survived, and now they finally got to heal. My heart broke for this women and what they had endured, but it was wonderful getting to see them moving forward with their lives and enjoying some success. I was rooting for the sisters to mend their relationship, and I was not disappointed at all. 

Have you read any books set in Idaho?
Let us know in the comments!