Abigail Fine learned early in life it’s hard to get ahead when you start with nothing. She hoped serving as a surrogate would allow her to not only help a friend, but jump-start living her own dreams.Jonah Rollins always considered himself a loyal friend and an honorable man. Until he made a decision that destroyed a long-standing friendship and eventually, his marriage.When life threw her a … life threw her a curveball, Abby did the only thing she knew how: the right thing. Her life might look a whole lot different than she imagined, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now, five years later, the past has come calling. Life’s presented Abby with an even bigger challenge: one that will test her capacity to forgive . . . or force her to close her heart forever. But Abby and Jonah just might discover that there are no bounds to how wide her heart can open or how deep his love can run.
more
This was a great story. It began with the devastating news that a surrogate mother’s baby had spina bifida and other birth defects. The receiving mother immediately decided the infant should be aborted. Having felt the baby move, the surrogate could not give her up for abortion and announced she was keeping the baby. The friendship and trust she had with the biological father was destroyed. Five years later, Jonah comes back into Abby Fine and her daughter Eva Grace’s lives. This is a complicated story of trust and love and family dynamics.
If you like small town, second chance romances you will enjoy this book.
Abby was so strong, you had to admire her strength and conviction. It did bother me a bit that she wasn’t willing to address the situation, so when Jonah appeared, she was thrown off guard. I did like that she was able to be flexible enough to open herself up to listen to her friends advice, and once again, do what was best for her daughter.I
I didn’t understand how Jonah could not manage to support his “best” friend after she made her decision. I understood him wanting to support his wife, but he could have found a way to do both. Thankfully, he redeemed himself.
I also found the vintage dressing theme to be interesting. I am looking forward to what hope will be future books about Abby’s friends. Nell and Rachel definitely have stories to tell.
A very enjoyable read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy.
This one is such a lovely story. I was intrigued as soon as I started reading and couldn’t put it down until I finished the book. I think this is going to be a great series and can’t wait to read the next book.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Have you ever read a book that you thought about for days after you finished it?
One Fine Day is a book about friendship, broken promises and a mother’s love for her child. These themes resonated with me and I read Abby and Jonah’s story in one day. Abby and Jonah are given a once in a life time chance for a do over— an opportunity to come to terms with their past and move ahead.
The prologue draws the reader into the story immediately. Abby Fine agreed to be a surrogate for her childhood friend Jonah Rollins and his wife Veronica. Complications with the pregnancy are discovered; the Rollins’ decide to walk away from their special needs child. She is determined to continue with the pregnancy. This decision impacts every aspect of Abby’s life—she is cut off financially and emotionally from the entire Rollins family—she is on her own.
Five years later, Abby is running the Inn at Hazel Green which she inherited from distant relative. She and her daughter Eva Grace are part of the tight- knit Hazel Green community. Eva Grace captured my heart. She reminded me of a doll—blue eyes and curly blond hair. Eva Grace has big personality and her enthusiasm for life jumps off the pages! Abby’s devotion and patience with her daughter shines through in each page of this novel.
Cindy Kirk’s descriptive writing style enables the reader to connect to Abby. I could hear the joy in Abby’s voice when she talked about her child and feel the hurt when she reminisced about Eva Grace’s surgeries. My heart broke when Abby’s thoughts brought her back to the day that Eva Grace was born. Frightened and alone, she reached out to Jonah. I felt her pain and severe disappointment –Jonah never responded to her phone call or her text. I understood Abby’s desire to raise Eva Grace and provide a happy safe life for her. Abby has been there every day for child—through many painful surgeries and sleepless nights. Jonah’s monthly letters to Eva Grace and Abby and the support money he sent in the letters provided a connection between Abby and Jonah. The fact that Abby didn’t read the letters but saved them intrigued me – why did she keep them?
Abby’s ability to put her child’s best interests first and to forgive are tested when Jonah becomes the new police officer of Hazel Green. Her inner strength is tested when Jonah makes it clear that he has moved to Hazel Green to get to know his child and repair his relationship with Abby. Jonah mentions that he wrote to Abby that he had accepted the position in Hazel Green and that he was divorced. He is amazed when Abby tells him that she has not opened his letters.
Cindy Kirk uses the backstory technique to provide insight into both Abby and Jonah’s history. Jonah’s backstory is woven into the story and it allowed the reader to gain perspective on his choices, his situation. Loved the scenes when Jonah explains to Abby what factors led him to side with his wife. This revelation is important as it gave insight into Jonah’s situation and his decision making. The author subtly introduces the idea that not all choices are black and white and that life experiences impact the choices you make. My favorite scene in the book is when Abby decides to read each one of Jonah’s letters—this decision opens her heart towards forgiveness.
One Fine Day has all the feels; it’s an emotional story which tugs at your heart from the first page. The characters are honest and the dialogue is superb—and Eva Grace will capture your heart. The themes of loss, forgiveness and love are told with compassion and humor.
I don’t know if it’s possible to say how much I loved this book! I was enthralled from the first sentence and had trouble putting it down. I am so impressed at how real this felt. This story was so well written and so moving. I found myself stopping and thinking about this story all the time. I commiserated with Abby and Jonah while trying to sort it out in my mind how I might’ve handled it. The issues they were facing weren’t easy issues and a solution couldn’t be rushed into. The author did a tremendous job of taking us through Abby’s journey. Abby is the mother we all strive to be. Was she perfect? No. But her fierce love and sense of what’s right was weighted carefully against what was right for Eva Grace. This story really touched me. I absolutely loved it.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
After being a loyal reader of Ms. Kirk’s Good Hope Series, I had been eagerly awaiting her new series, Hazel Green, and she does not disappoint.
This series also takes place in a small town, this time outside of Chicago. By being a surrogate to her friend Jonah and his wife Veronica, Abby Fine makes the ultimate sacrifice of keeping the child that was going to have developmental issues according to the doctor.
After 5 years, Jonah reappears in Abby’s life, wanting to be a part of Abby’s and his child’s life. The book shows the maturation of all characters, as well as a child’s charm and innocence.
One Fine Day was One Great Read, and I am looking forward to learning more about the other citizens of Hazel Green.
One Fine Day is a story of bad choices, second chances, absolution & forgiveness. Jonah & Abigail have been friends forever. His family was the same as hers throughout their childhood. It was that sense of family that had Abigail agreeing to be a surrogate after Jonah’s wife, Veronica, had several miscarriages & their adoption attempt fell through. When the child was found to have a possibility of severe birth defects, Veronica said there would be an abortion or no support payments. Abigail couldn’t fathom going through an abortion when the doctors weren’t 100% certain of the defects. She just didn’t know that by saying no to the abortion she was going to loose her entire support system.
Five years later, Abigail is running an in. She’s inherited in Hazel Green, Illinois & her daughter, Eva Grace is doing well. Jonah, now divorced from Veronica, has taken a job as Sheriff in order to try to reconnect with Abigail & see how the daughter he never acknowledged is doing. He wants to regain his standing in their lives. EvaGrace has no idea who he is. Can Abigail open her heart to him despite the past hurt? Will she allow Jonah to know his daughter?
From the first heartbreaks by moment, Abigail had my sympathy. The descriptive prose brings her heart ache, hurt & disillusionment to the reader’s heart. It took a lot of courage & love for her daughter to open her heart & mind to what could be. The relationship between Abigail & Jonah was always strong but neither had the courage to acknowledge it when they were young. Would they now? The characters were perfect. Abigail was a strong, independent, lovely woman through character & necessity. Jonah was more loyal, patient & giving than his past actions showed. This was a lovely start to a new series.
I had previously read Cindy Kirk’s Good Hope series and really enjoyed them, and I was excited to read her new series. The premise of this story is that Abby and Jonah had been best friends since childhood. Jonah and his wife were unable to have children and enlist Abby as a surrogate. They are given a very dire prognosis during the pregnancy. Jonah’s wife insists that Abby abort the child. Abby refuses and expects Jonah to stand up for his child, and her. He does not. Abby chooses to raise the child on her own. Five years have passed and Jonah is now divorced and wants to be a part of his daughter’s life. I wondered as I read this how they could redeem Jonah. He deserted his child and his best friend, and didn’t try to see either of them for five years (he did send letters and money, Abby took the money, but didn’t read any of the letters). What I really liked was that the forgiveness took time. So many second chance stories have the love interests get over the issue so quickly. Abby had the right to be hurt, and Jonah realized that he could not demand forgiveness and needed to prove he was the man Abby and his daughter deserved. I also enjoyed the introduction of other characters that will be in future books. Cindy Kirk has written another series I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. I was given an Advance Reader Copy of the book for my honest opinion.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it. Readers are introduced to the town of Hazel Green in the first book of a series. We meet Abigail (Abby) Fine. A transplant that inherited a hotel from an unknown aunt. Abby has a 5 year old daughter who is not biologically related to her. Abby was a surrogate for a couple, Jonah and Vanessa. Jonah was Abby’s best friend for many years and is the biological father of Abby’s daughter, Eva Grace.
You don’t really know where this book is going for a while. Where it ends up is a magical journey of love and trust. This town has captured my heart already and I want to know more.