An Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestseller.The worst of times calls for the best of friends in this sassy novel about starting over, from New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.Dear friends and army wives Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have been through war, rumors of war, marital problems, motherhood, fears, joy, and heartache. But none of the women are prepared when their daughters … the women are prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and tears. She’s been there.
With nothing to lose and no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken heart. So can the empty nesters.
Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning.
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Carolyn Brown is an author that I love to read. She writes sweet books with characters that have big hearts, real-world issues, and family/friends that are incredibly loving. The Empty Nesters is exactly what I expected when I picked it up. The military wives/ex-wives all have lived a tough life with their spouses leaving at the drop of a hat for various missions. Add to that the recently widowed Tootsie and it is the perfect neighborhood.
All three army wives are in this book, they each have their own story to tell. It is the story of a divorce that wasn’t expected, daughter going into the military to follow their father’s footsteps, an unexpected relationship, and an adventure that is bound to open new doors. I loved getting a glimpse at how being part of a military family controls so much of your everyday life. You wait for orders, you wait for a phone call, you wait for a letter, and when they say go you go. It is not an easy life and the fact that Joanie, Diana, and Carmen are able to go through it together helps to ease their burdens. The three of them have gone through so much in life that it just makes sense that when things get hard they stick together even tighter.
The Empty Nesters is a story of best friends who find their way through life leaning on each other, supporting each other, and just being there for each other.
What a wonderful book! Filled with emotion and heart, this book was a road trip full of laughs, tears, and deep friendships that prove that heart is truly what makes a family.
I just loved every one of the characters in this book. Although they were each very different and were dealing with different issues, their lives have been shaped by the trust and support they have put in each other. As the title suggests, this unlikely group of friends – who really are a family – are each faced with not only an empty nest, but also other problems that life has thrown at them. From the second Tootsie decides that a road trip is what is needed to help everyone through their empty nest syndrome, I couldn’t wait to get on board that RV and see where this story would take every one of them.
Carolyn Brown has such a way with words, embedding heart and emotion into every sentence, making me feel like I was on this road trip with them. Although this book is fiction, I can easily see most every scene play out in real life. From the struggles that each character has to face, to the support, love, and trust that they give and receive from each other, this book was easy to get lost in.
I can’t say enough about this one – it deserves a spot on everyone’s TBR!
I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley which I voluntarily reviewed.
A very well written book. I sat and read this in one go couldn’t put it down. It is a heartwarming story of four millitary women who have to deal with the heartache of letting go and growing whether children growing and leaving or through divorce or death. The characters are very real to life and each have to deal with life differently but the closeness they feel for each other shows love and understanding. would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read with laughs tears and huggs.
Terrific story of friendship, healing, and love. The story opens in the past as Tootsie and her husband Smokey watch three young families move into houses on their block. All three are military families, each with one young daughter. Tootsie immediately senses that these people will become good friends. The prologue spends some time introducing each of the characters and their personalities. It also shows the depth of friendship that already exists between Diana, Carmen, and Joanie, as they finish the prologue by sending their men off, hiding their heartbreak behind cheerful faces. The story picks up thirteen years later, as all three women watch their daughters depart for Army basic training, leaving them with empty nests. That’s not the only life-altering event either. Tootsie’s husband Smokey recently passed away, leaving all of them feeling his loss. To make matters worse, Carmen unexpectedly receives divorce papers from her husband. As the women come together to support Carmen, Tootsie invites them all on her road trip as a way to get away from it all.
Tootsie: Tootsie is a warm-hearted woman who was deeply in love with her husband. She is devastated by his loss, but the other women’s presence in her life helps her deal with her grief. Helping them through their problems provides a needed distraction. I loved her down-home country wisdom and her straightforward way of delivering it. There are some hilarious times ahead for them, as well as some profoundly emotional ones. Smokey’s loss isn’t all Tootsie has to deal with on this journey, and the other women repay Tootsie’s support with some of their own. I loved Tootsie’s conversations with Smokey. They gave a good look at the type of man he was and the relationship he had with her.
Carmen: I loved Carmen and ached so much for her. The unexpected arrival of divorce papers on the day her daughter left for boot camp made it especially devastating. She’s always been a little bit insecure thanks to her feelings of being not good enough for Eli (reinforced by her witch of a mother-in-law) and immediately starts thinking about what she must have done wrong. I loved seeing her journey through denial, grief, and anger, and seeing her come out stronger on the other side. I detested her husband, Eli, whose true colors were revealed in his phone calls to her. There was a funny scene in which Carmen contemplated emulating a book character’s revenge on a cheating spouse. I laughed because I recognized that revenge from an earlier book by the author.
Joanie: After witnessing Diana’s divorce years earlier, and seeing what Carmen goes through now, Joanie experiences some guilt about the solidity of her marriage. But recent phone calls from Brett have been disturbing, and she wonders if the bonds are as strong as she thought. I ached for her and her fears. Brett turned out to be the best of the husbands, and I liked how he came clean about the issue. I especially liked his understanding of her bond with the other women. Joanie impressed me with her realistic look at the proposition and consideration of all the ramifications.
Diana: Diana’s life has revolved around raising her daughter. Mostly by herself, as first her husband was gone so much, then later as a single mother. She showed little interest in dating, not ready to trust another man with her heart. Having already been through it, she is in an excellent position to help Carmen. What Diana did not expect was to feel a connection to Tootsie’s nephew Luke, who is their driver on this road trip. She is a bit freaked out about their age difference since he’s a few years younger. I loved the friendship that grew between them as they discovered things they had in common and how that friendship grew and changed. There were some sweet moments between them, and some very steamy ones. Diana has some issues she has to deal with before she lets herself even consider a future with Luke in it. I liked the fact that they kept the lines of communication open, even when they were at odds.
Luke: The lone man on this road trip. Luke is a self-professed geek who claims limited social skills. He spent most of his adult life immersed in the software company that he built. Luke recently sold it and now must decide what he wants to do. He loves his Aunt Tootsie and looks forward to the memories of his Uncle Smokey on this trip. He is taken by surprise by his connection to Diana, especially as he usually is shy and awkward around women. I liked how the age difference meant so little to him and loved how he explained it to Diana. I liked his patience as he didn’t try to push Diana past where she was comfortable but still left her in no doubt about his interest. Luke also helps each of the other women through some of their problems with some practical advice and/or viewpoints from the male perspective.
I loved the journey these five made together, with the love, friendship, and respect that helped each of them through some rough times. I loved the end of the journey as they attended their daughters’ graduation and saw the changes that they, too, had experienced. I enjoyed the glimpses of each mother/daughter relationship, as well as the friendships between the three girls. I got a kick out of Rebecca’s comments to Luke. There was also some insight into the three women’s husband and how the men’s relationships with each other compared to their wives’ relationships.
The epilogue was great. I liked seeing them all a few months down the road and how things have worked out for them. I loved seeing Luke and Diana together, and the unexpected twist that capped off the book.
I guess it’s only natural for a writer as established as Carolyn Brown to have a range of hits and misses. I never pass up an opportunity to read one of her books because I never know what I’m going to get. In this case, I got a touching tale of friendship and perseverance. The Empty Nesters is a heartwarming story.
There is romance in this book, but that’s not what this story is about. No, this is a story of women who have stood with each other through raising their daughters practically alone while they’re Army Special Forces husbands took off for months at a time, sometimes with no advance warning. This is a story of a former Army wife who lived a long and wonderful life with her husband finding a way through her grief when he passes away unexpectedly. This is a story of moms having to cut the apron strings and allow their daughters to spread their wings, even if the direction the young ladies took wasn’t exactly what these moms planned for their futures. They’ve banded together in the past when one went through a painful divorce, they’re banding together again when another is served surprise divorce papers and feels like she’s lost at sea. These ladies are tough, compassionate, resilient, and loving. They can make it through anything, especially if they stick together.
Being an Army mom and having been a Navy wife for the 10 years my husband was enlisted, I will admit I picked up every little inaccuracy regarding the military when I began this book. I know that authors often must take creative license with these things in order to serve the story. As long as things don’t get too crazy and the story is well written, I will often be able to overlook these things. I’m happy to say that the little tweaks the author made to “real” Army life soon fell by the wayside in my mind as I got more and more engrossed in the lives of these women. Plus, the characters actually acknowledged some of the issues, like them all staying in the same area for so long.
Like I mentioned earlier, there is romance in this book. And it’s a sweet, slow-burn kind of romance. I won’t post names since that will spoil things, but you’ll figure it out pretty quickly. To add to the new romance, there is an “old” romance with one of the ladies and her husband. It’s a confusing time for them all with their daughters all leaving for Army Basic Training on the same day, not long after their beloved Smokey passed away and all of the husbands gone on a mission. As long as these women have been friends, their husbands have been friends even longer and are battle buddies. If one husband is being a jerk and the others are covering for him, what does that mean? Are any of their marriages safe? So as things sort themselves out and each lady comes to terms with the new direction her life is leading, there is definitely romance afoot in several different ways.
Be ready to laugh, cry, and get angry along with this group of friends. You will want to give them each a hug at some point along the journey, that’s for sure. We would all do well to end up with friends such as these in our lives.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
This review can also be found at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2019/08/15/the-empty-nesters-arc-review/
What a read! Feels, tears, love, laughs, and life, it’s all in there! It’s a beautiful story of 4 neighborhood families who became one “family”, 3 army wives relying on the support of each other as their husbands are fighting for their country. The book opens on an older couple, childless, who see their new neighbors as their extended family., Toostie and Smokey become parents/grandparents to the young families, watching the kids grow into young women. But now life has evolved (prepare the tissues!) The young army wives are now mothers of girls going off to basic training leaving their nests empty, but an empty nest is not only when you send your chicks off, Smokey’s passing leaves Toostie’s nest empty too, needing the support of her “girls” to make the trip the old home, first time since her husband’s death they pack up her new RV and head on a road trip of memories, feelings, healing and new starts.
Toostie’s girls all have reasons to get away from their empty houses, Diana the divorcee is having to come to terms with the need to be more than just the mom and provider-she has needs too. Carmen’s hit hard with a surprise that sends her world spinning out of control filled with denial, anger, acceptance and life. Joannie is conflicted, she feels guilty that her marriage is strong, or is it-is she ready for what’s to come next?
This is a wonderful journey of support, loss, love and surprises, such a great read. sniff, sniff
This was a sweet story of love, friendship, loss, and relationships. While there is loss by divorce, maturing children, and death, there is also a sense of growing relationships. Tootsie manages to take control of the lives of the ladies who live close to her and make them feel a sense of family and fellowship.
Carolyn Brown does a wonderful job of bringing you into the story and making you invested in the lives of the characters. You will fall in love with some and despise others. But the primary feeling is one of cheering on the ladies who are left to handle life on their own.
While I’m not a romance book fan, I didn’t mind the “romance” portion of this book. Luke brings an interesting aspect to the book. And it helps to think that there might be a gentleman out there!
This story will leave you with a feel-good sense.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange of my honest review.
OMG! I think I love Carolyn Brown’s women’s fiction more with every book I read! Having been an Army wife, this one really struck a chord with me. I loved the honesty about the issues the women in the book had encountered while their husbands were off on deployment. It stinks and Ms. Brown was very honest about it.
All of the characters were someone you can relate to and their relationship to each other is enviable. I certainly wish I had those kind of relationships in my life. Tootsie was my favorite character, because she was so full of life and ambition, even at her age and having recently lost her husband. As always, the story progressed at the perfect pace. As far as I’m concerned, everything about this book was perfect! Loved it! Loved it!Loved it!
This is a sweet story about four women and their driver making an RV trip to the vacation home of one of them. Tootsie is going for her late husband’s memory. The three other women are all recent empty nesters with their same age daughters all entering the service. One woman got devastating news before she left and is dealing with trying to cope with an impending, out of the blue divorce. Another is afraid her husband is growing apart from her. The third woman is on a trip of discovery.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A story of army wives who have stuck together for the last 20 years as their spouses serve in a special forces group. The ups and downs of life are prominent through out as they raise their daughters. They live in a neighborhood with an older couple; Tootsie and Smokey who adopt them as their own children. When Smokey passes away Tootsie decides she needs to still go on their yearly trip and convinces the wives to come along in the big RV. Lots of changes for all of them as they venture out and enjoy the ride.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This review is in my own words.
The Empty Nesters
This book was such a fun read. It really hit home, I too was raised in a military family. So I know the feeling of the being called away on a mission, not knowing when or where my Dad was going and when he would return. I had many friends when we lived on base, I too have a very close friend that we have kept in touch with over the years 50 plus to be exact. We met last summer in New Orleans and have not seen each other in over 50 years what a hoot. I loved the closeness of the friendships that held these women together. They shared happy times, sad times and had the love of a close knit family, but were not blood related. I also went through the Empty Nest when my Son went off to college, and I was newly divorced. I would definitely recommend this book, I could not put it down and read it in 3 days.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
It’s not easy being a military wife, but Carolyn Brown writes how friendship between wives can help with the loneliness of separation and worry of danger months on end. Diana, Joanie and Carmen have become fast friends each with daughters the same age. Through the years, the women deal with marital problems, more separations and now when their daughters are graduating from high school, have learned their daughters have enlisted in the army. On a whim, facing more lonely days and nights, the wives accept the offer of traveling together on a long road trip in an RV with a special neighbor. This trip ends up being a chance for each of the women to find a new reason for living and that family doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be born into it.
This was another very enjoyable book that I have come to expect from the author. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book for my honest review.
Three women who met as Army wives now have to face empty nests as their daughters all join the Army together. Joanie is happily married and sends off her daughter Zoe. Diana is divorced and sends off her daughter Rebecca. Carmen sends off her daughter Natalie and arrives home from dropping off the girls to divorce papers. Joanie, Diana and Carmen have been best friends for many years and have happily lived with their families on the same street in Sugar Run, Texas. That’s where they met Tootsie and Smokey Colbert. Smokey is long retired from the military and as he and Tootsie never had children of their own they were delighted when the three young military familes moved into their neighborhood. They basically adopted all three families as their own. Just prior to the enlistment of the girls Tootsie lost her husband Smokey to a heart attack. Tootsie has already purchased a motorhome which she planned to travel home to Scrap, Texas where she was born and raised with Smokey as they did every year in the fall. Without Smokey to keep her company she decides to invite the empty nest moms along for the trip to take their minds off of their daughters enlistment and other troubles. She asks Smokey’s nephew Luke to drive and they start off on their extended roadtrip. They have good times as they travel along and stay in Tootsie’s home in Scrap. Along the way Diana and Luke discover each other. Carmen starts to come to accept her pending divorce and Joanie learns to count her blessings.
The Empty Nesters by Carolyn Brown is a heartwarming trip through a story that delights and gives the reader a comforting feeling of love and camaraderie. The story is full of emotion, good times as well as bad times and the joy of friendhip and family. Carolyn Brown is known for her strong, loving characters and this book is full of them. I became emotionally involved with them and cheered them on to acceptance of their new lives and happiness. Carolyn Brown always delights me with her “feel good” stories.
Carolyn Brown certainly knows how to dig right into the center of your emotions! This story hit so many “sore” spots. Military wives do not have an easy life. They pretty much raise their kids alone and have an occasional visitor in and out for years. Not many marriages survive that life. Here, 3 wives start married life together. One marriage survived, two divorces due to other women, one new potentially serious relationship starts. All achieve their HEA. These ladies have a terrific mother figure helping them along. Each has a daughter in basic training.
I loved this book. So true to life happenings. The trip was a once in a lifetime happening that I was along every step of the way.
This book was gifted to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.