All work and no play make Jade a dull girl.Jade Burt can do without her grandmother’s meddling in her love life. But when Millie finds an abandoned baby possum, it leads her to Caleb Young. Caleb would be perfect for Jade! When Jade meets Caleb, it’s hard to argue with her grandmother’s choice. Still, Jade is determined to push Caleb away, but his friendship with Millie concerns her. What if he’s … concerns her. What if he’s a slick con man trying to take advantage of a sweet old lady? Jade needs to figure Caleb out before he breaks her grandmother’s heart…and Jade’s too!
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I expected a mystery. I got a very enjoyable chick-lit read from author Gayle Leeson. Having read previous works by this author, I was thinking Hightail It would be a pet-based cosy mystery. It is instead women’s fiction set in the assisted living retail community of the Kinsey Falls, VA community center. The community center is half shopping mall, half living apartments in the upper half and the upper floor is further divided into halves and one side has senior accommodations while the other side houses young professionals.
Jade Burt does not live in but she does own a knitting business in the center. Her grandmother, Millie, does live in and meets Caleb the handsome pet store worker when she rescues an animal in danger. She immediately thinks he would be perfect for her granddaughter. Millie has never tried to set Jade up before and Jade has been recalcitrant to such treatment from her mother and leery of relationships in general because of a negative past experience. Can Jade open her mind enough to realise her grandmother has only the best of intentions and then open her heart to the possibility of a forever (or at least a for now) with Caleb? Take a road trip with me down to Virginia and find out!
As I was searching my To Be Read (TBR) pile trying to choose what to read next, I realized I had this new paperback I received from the author. I wanted something a bit on the lighter side, rather than my regular cozies, and this was it. A perfect short story that very enjoyable! From baby possums to senior moments, I became wrapped up in the story. It takes place at a mall – Kinsey Falls, where the retail shops are on the main level and apartments are divided up between young adults and senior citizens. Their activities combine both groups.
Jade owns a knitting shop in the bottom half while her grandmother, Millie, lives in the senior apartments upstairs. When Millie finds a baby possum in the parking lot, she takes it into the pet shop where a handsome young man by the name of Caleb is working. Suddenly, Millie is trying to figure out how to get this handsome guy to go out with her granddaughter, Jade.
Jade on the other hand, would prefer her grandmother stay out of her love life. As Millie and Caleb spend more time together, Jade begins to wonder what this guy is up to.
This fun, humorous, short story was provided as a gift by the author. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to make sure it received an honest review. Looking forward to the next in this series!
“Hightail it to Kinsey Falls” earns 5/5 Perky Possums…Perfect!
It started with a rescue of a little possum and an introduction to a handsome young man…then a suspicion of his intentions… Gayle Leeson penned a delightful audio-ella. For 3-1/2 hours, listeners are transported to Kinsey Falls with Grandma Millie meeting the handsome Caleb Young and deciding he may be perfect for her granddaughter “Jittery” Jade Burt, but Jade isn’t quite sure of his intentions. I loved it! Very reminiscent of my favorite Hallmark romance telemovies with budding romances, conflicts, misunderstandings, and ultimate silver linings. Narrator Renee Dodd greatly enhanced Gayle’s entertaining story going beyond a traditional reading with a very pleasant, slightly southern tone for the third-person narrative. Gayle’s delightful banter was punctuated by Renee’s great performance of the various voices to illustrate ages of the female characters. I am a stickler about how well a female narrator handles the challenge performing male voices. Renee did a satisfactory job with it. This is the first book in Gayle’s Kinsey Falls series available on audio, but there are two other books I suspect will one day be available…I’m in for that!
I listened to this book on Audible. The narrator was fantastic. I really enjoyed this recording. The story was interesting and fun! I learned some things I didn’t know. I love the characters. I even enjoyed the author notes and acknowledgments. I do recommend this book! Read it. Especially if you love wildlife. Possum. I had a good time with this and I think you will to. I can’t wait to read more of this series.
Hightail It to Kinsey Falls, book one in Gayle Leeson’s Kinsey Falls series surprised me. It was not a mystery story as I expected from Ms. Leeson but rather a sweet contemporary romance. The town of Kinsey Falls built, or created, a mixed living building for seniors and the under thirty crowd living in opposite wings. On the main floor are shops and a common area for the residents to use. Jade operates a yarn and knitting store on the main floor while her grandmother lives in one of the apartments in the building. When Millie finds an abandoned baby possum, it leads her to meet Caleb, manager of a pet store. Caleb would be perfect for Jade and when she meets Caleb, it’s hard to argue with her grandmother’s choice. Still, Jade is determined to push Caleb away, but his friendship with Millie concerns her. Maybe he is a slick con man trying to take advantage of a sweet old lady. Jade needs to figure Caleb out before he breaks not only her grandmother’s heart butd possibly hers too.
Ms. Leeson wrote a wonderful story with relatable characters, humorous situations and even an occasional red herring was thrown in for fun. I really enjoy reading this book and had trouble putting it down, turning page after page, wanting more once I turn that last page. I highly recommend this series to other readers and look forward to her next book in the series.
Hightail It To Kinsey Falls
Kinsey Falls, Book #1
Gayle Leeson
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Jade Burt can do without her grandmother’s meddling in her love life. But when Millie finds an abandoned baby possum, it leads her to Caleb Young. Caleb would be perfect for Jade! When Jade meets Caleb, it’s hard to argue with her grandmother’s choice. Still, Jade is determined to push Caleb away, but his friendship with Millie concerns her. What if he’s a slick con man trying to take advantage of a sweet old lady? Jade needs to figure Caleb out before he breaks her grandmother’s heart…and Jade’s too! (Goodreads)
Review:
The characters were well rounded and well developed. I liked all of the characters that I met and am looking forward to spending more time with them in future books. I really enjoyed the fact that the characters were a mixture of ages: some were senior citizens and some were millennials. It was kind of heartwarming to see the younger people caring for and being concerned with the welfare of the older ones.
The author did a great job in creating the setting: an assisted living retail community of the Kinsey Falls. I was really intrigued by this concept and thought it was a great idea. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through most of the book I felt like I was right there, walking in the knitting shop and seeing all the beautiful colors and textures. It pulled me into the story right from the beginning.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted women’s fiction. This was a feel good story and I am looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Grace Abraham Publishing, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
If you need a break in your day from the stress and strife this is a perfect story for you.
An old shopping mall has been converted to a retail/residential facility. Stores on the lower floor with micro-apartments on the upper floor split into 2 sections. One side for senior citizens and the other side for young professionals. There is a community center were residents and shop owners can gather or hold events too. Jade Burt owns Nothin’ But Knit, one of the retail shops and her grandmother, Millicent Fairchild, lives in one of the apartments upstairs.
Millie on her way to visit Jade notices an animal near her path. She quickly realizes it is a baby possum and scoops it into her now empty makeup bag and rushes into the pet store next to her granddaughter’s store. Hightail It Pet Supply and Grooming. There she meets Caleb, one of the young professional residents who is working at the store while he gets his graduate degree. Millie decides then and there that she needs to bring Jade and Caleb together. They are perfect for each other.
The characters in the story are fabulous. I love the whole idea of blending these two age groups together. The YPs are so welcoming and willing to help the seniors and the seniors feel the need to bake and cook for the YPs. Having them get together for a welcoming event was delightful. The Kinsey Falls Living and Retail Community Center is a great idea and something I would love to see everywhere. The animal that brought everyone together gave the author the opportunity to shine a light on Wynnwood Wildlife Rehabilitation, a non-profit taking care of animals in need. She also shines a light on an illness and it’s side effects that usually effects seniors.
This author usually writes cozy mysteries. I am so happy she has now brought her wonderful writing style to Women’s Fiction. I am excited about this series and am anxiously awaiting book #2.
This is a solid first book in a new series. I am very much looking forward to reading the second book because the characters are realistic, likeable, and interesting. The concept of apartments filling an old mall is great because we have so much of that going on in communities all over the country, and makes a great combination of characters@
I picked up this quick read from Netgalley both because I am a fan of the author and because the book description appealed to me. There actually is a place near me, a center, where different “generations” interact and have the opportunity to better learn to understand each other. Although our includes some services, like a cafeteria, exercise and social areas, it does not have the residential and retail aspects of The Kinsey Falls Living and Retail Community Center. I wish it did!
The beginning, where Millie discovers and rescues a baby opossum, sets the tone for what is sure to be a light hearted and unexpected story. I love how this “small” event sets the tone for getting to know the characters and creates an opportunity for Millie to slightly manipulate her granddaughter, Jade’s, life. I liked how we learned about each character bit by bit as the story unfolded.
A certain person, you’ll know who I mean, I did not care for at first. She later turned out to be a very nice person and I look forward to reading more about her in the next book. I should learn not to judge too soon!
This is a fun and flirty novel to be enjoyed by all ages.