"Leaves" Book Tour

"Leaves" My Thoughts

I discovered this author, Michael Baron, about a year ago while visiting Cheryl @CMash Reads. I read her review of "Spinning" by Mr. Baron, it sounded so good I bought the book, read it and loved it. This past year I read two more of his books; "When You Went Away" and "A Winter Discovery." I also enjoyed those books. So...when "Leaves" was released I knew I just had to read it as well. I was not disappointed. 

"Leaves" is the first in a series of novels about the Gold Family and some unforgettable family drama. It is a moving story about a family dealing with their parent's death and the selling of their Inn at  Oldham, CT, a small town rich in Colonial heritage while being utterly contemporary. Situated along the Connecticut River Valley, Oldham bursts with color every fall, as the leaves on its trees turn into an unmatched palette of scarlet, orange, purple, yellow, and bronze. For more than three decades, the Gold family has been a central part of Oldham in the fall, its Sugar Maple Inn a destination for "leaf-peepers” from all over the country, and its annual Fall party a stirring way to punctuate the town’s most active month.

But this year, more than just the leaves are changing. With the death of their parents, the Gold siblings, Maria, Maxwell, Deborah, Corrina, and Tyler, have decided to sell the Sugar Maple Inn, and this year’s Fall party will be the last. As October begins, the Golds contend with the finality that faces them, and the implications it has for a family that has always been so close. For some, it means embracing new challenges and new love. For others, it means taking on unimagined roles. And for others, it means considering the inconceivable. Complicating it all is a series of comings and goings that touch each of the Gold siblings, a series of benign interventions that will remain a mystery until October draws to a close.

Even though this is the first book of the series, it is also a stand alone book. It introduced us to the Gold family, there background, the different personalities of each sibling, and the ups and downs each family faces throughout their lifetime. It was an enjoyable read and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series to read more about the Gold family.

This book reminded me of the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove series, and I enjoyed that series, so if you are a fan of family series, I think you will enjoy this book.

Author Bio:

I  grew up in the New York area and I’ve lived there my entire life. I worked in retail and taught high school English before I got my first book contract. I have gotten several additional book contracts since then, which is fortunate because I didn’t have the patience to work in retail and, while I quite enjoyed teaching, my approach was a bit too unconventional for most school systems. One school administrator told me that, “there are more important things than being a dynamic teacher.” Since I couldn’t name any of those things (at least in the context of school), I figured I didn’t have a long-term future in the profession. Hence, I became a writer, where I believe people appreciate a certain level of dynamism.

Though I started with nonfiction, I have always loved fiction and I have always wanted to write it. Since I can remember, I’ve had a particular affection for love stories. In fact, the very first book-length thing I ever wrote, when I was thirteen, was a love story. Mind you, it was the kind of love story that a thirteen-year-old boy would write, but it was a love story nonetheless. I have a deep passion for writing about relationships – family relationships, working relationships, friendships, and, of course, romantic relationships – and I can only truly explore this by writing fiction. These novels have given me a way to voice the millions of things running through my head.

My wife and kids are the center of my life. My wife is the inspiration for all of my love stories and my children enthrall me, challenge me, and keep me moving (and have served as the inspiration for several of the kids I’ve written about). One of the primary reasons I wrote my first novel, WHEN YOU WENT AWAY was that I wanted to write about being a father. Aside from my family, I have a few other burning passions. I’m a pop culture junkie with an especially strong interest in music, I love fine food (as well as any restaurant shaped like a hot dog), and I read far too many sports blogs for my own good.

I would like to thank the publisher and the author for this book. Thank you Mr. Baron for another enjoyable read.

I received this book for review as part of the book tour. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”