Sometimes if you are lucky, you pick up a book at just the right time in your life that every emotion written by the author resonates and you cannot put it down. THE EMPTY NESTERS by Carolyn Brown is that book for me.

The story starts by introducing us to Tootsie and Smokey Colbert. Smokey is retired Army and Tootsie is his beloved wife of over 50 years. They never had children of their own, so they are very excited when three new military couples move into the neighboring homes each with their own young daughter. The men are in the same unit and the wives are close friends.

Jump ahead thirteen years. Diana, Carmen and Joanie are all still best friends and about to face an empty nest at home as all three of their daughters leave for bootcamp after having enlisted in the Army together. Diana has been divorced and moved on, working and focusing on her daughter Rebecca. Joanie is still an army wife, waiting for her husband to come home as her daughter Zoe leaves also. Carmen just said goodbye to her daughter, Natalie and she receives the emotional punch of receiving unexpected divorce papers in the mail after 20 years of marriage.

After losing the love of her life, Smokey, one month ago, Tootsie decides to go on their planned trip to his family’s reunion and take the girls with her. They have nothing to lose and no one at home, so they begin their two month long life changing journey as “The Empty Nesters” in a large RV driven by Smokey’s nephew, Luke. Tootsie faces the memories of her late husband and hopes to ease her loneliness and broken heart, Joanie receives life changing news from her husband which will alter the group, Carmen must deal with the hurt, betrayal and end of her marriage and Diana just may learn to open her heart to a new relationship and love.

This is my favorite Carolyn Brown book to date. Keep the tissues handy for not only sad, but happy tears. I read this in one sitting because I just had to know the resolution of all of “The Empty Nesters”. This book deals with so many stages of life and love. It also shows each character dealing with what life dishes out to them and how they cope with the help of their friendship. I felt the dialogue, the emotions and the trials and triumphs were realistically written and handled by Ms. Brown. Each of the women as a character is unique and yet they mesh so well together.

I highly recommend The Empty Nesters!

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 loved this book even though it made me cry at times. So much friendship, so much fun. The only downfall in the book was divorce. I loved that the writer put three military couples on the block with three children for the older couple Smokey and Tootsie to love.

Great book and being a military wife I understand what they are talking about. The other part is my son is in the service. I not too sure I like the husbands but the couple that holds it all together is ones I’d want for my neighbors.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
3.75 STARS

The Empty Nesters is a quick and easy read about three military wives; Diana, Carmen and Joanie, neighbors and friends who recently moved off base and to the same area. These 3 families are instantly 'adopted' by the elderly couple on the block who are retired military. After this introduction, the story starts when all 3 of their daughters graduate high school and enlist like their fathers. These husbands (and ex-husbands) are still in the army and in the same unit and are gone a lot. Tootsie (their elderly neighbor), who is recently widowed decides that the 3 women need to go on a road trip when Carmen's husband asks for a divorce. The wives, Tootsie, and Tootsie's nephew travel by RV to Tooties's country home. There, they try to deal with the issues that plague them. Death, divorce, and the trials and triumphs that come with becoming empty nesters.

Carolyn Brown always has this way of pulling you into a story from the beginning. This isn't just a story, it's a journey of hope, love and girl power. This is a wonderfully written story, as with all Carolyn Brown novels. It has an interesting plot and the characters are believable and are relatable. Sometimes the story was quite predictable, but still, a very enjoyable summer read.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for generously providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publishing house for this ARC. What a lovely story about female friendship. Friendship that stands the test of time, huge life changes, and a chaotic military life. I love books where women are each other's supporters and women are strong. This book had these and many laughs to go along with it. While I'm not in the empty nester stage of life, it was easy to put myself into these women's shoes. I also liked these strong female characters, raising strong females. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!

Well, The Empty Nesters isn't a romance that I am used to reading. Filled with a lot of drama, a lot of humor and characters that you will fall in love with, The Empty Nesters will have you crying and laughing at the same time.
Diana, Carmen, Joanie are best friends. They have been for a very long time. Moving to Sugar Run, TX with their husbands was the best move they could have ever made. Meeting Tootsie and Smokey was a god send. Now, they all need each other to pull through some of the hardest times of their lives. Their daughters have all followed in their father's foot-steps and enlisted leaving the three of them alone and sad. Then comes the bomb-shell from Eli and everyone's life really changes in a New York minute. It's time to make some decisions and the first one is to go on the road trip that Tootsie is suggesting to Stump, TX. They will make it a long road trip and end up at Basic Training graduation where they could all celebrate with their wonderful daughters.
First, they have to get Carmen through her double grief, deal with Diana deciding to date again, accepting Joanie moving away and getting Tootsie through her grieving process. Throw in a few storms another death and you have yourself a very heart-warming story.
I loved the bond between the four woman. Tootsie was a treasure trove of understanding and advise. She was funny, loving and the most wonderful mom anyone could ask for. Diana understood exactly what Carmen was going through and was instrumental in getting her though the had times. She also had her own bridge to cross and I was thrilled that she decided to cross it with Luke. Diana had a lot of demons to fight and she was fighting them from the day that she married Eli. Now it's time for her to stand on her own two feet, face life and everything that it throws at her. Joanie was the stable one. Yes, Brett was still in the military. Yes, she had her doubts about their life together because of Diana and Carmen but she knew, deep down, that Brett loved her and they life they built and, in the end, he shows her just how much she really means to him.
Carolyn Brown really showed me her talent for writing romance but mixing in everything that life can throw at you. She shows you that family doesn't necessarily be a blood relation. She wrote four very complex characters that meshed and bonded through their experiences. Their journey through life was intense. And, Carolyn Brown brought them together seamlessly and showed us just what small town love and realationships is all about.
Complex characters, a heart-warming story, a little romance and a whole lot of laughs … The Empty Nesters was a wonderful story filled with family, love and strong-willed woman who you can't help but adore.

Sweet read. A story of friendships and support. Friends becoming family.
Tootsie, Carmen, Diane, and Joanne were military wives. Carmen, Diane and Joanne move off base on the same block of Sugar Run (Tootsie is matriarch) each with a family of 3. Time passes, new paths are formed, changes occur as a result of loss and growth. They embark on a trip to Scrap, Texas where their relationships are strengthened through love and support. Through the good times and the bad times they are there providing support and celebrating victories.
A warm story of love. Time passes quickly to enjoy and savor every moment.

The Empty Nesters by Carolyn Brown. Beautifully written emotional story about friendships, heartbreaks, loss and new beginnings. A road trip with a lovely ending. Great summertime read.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy....

Really loved that book! Amazing story and wonderful writing!

Looking forward to read more book from this author soon...

What a great read! I just love Carolyn Brown's writing and this book did not disappoint! The story was very emotional and hard to put down. Highly recommended!

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.

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

A lovely book! Tootsie is mourning the death of her much loved husband Smokey and Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have just sent their much loved daughters off to. bootcamp. These are all military families and they all know the stakes but all of them are unmoored a bit. Add to it that Carmen's just been served with divorce papers. Tootsie enlists her nephew Luke to drive them all on a road trip in the motor home she'd bought to travel with Smokey. Who would think that a trip to Scrap, Texas, would be so important? Well, it's all about the journey. These are terrific characters who you will feel and root for. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Brown's a great storyteller and this is just the perfect novel to cheer you at the end of a long day.

Three army wives have lived in the same block for all of their husbands careers, raising their families, but times are changing, and all of their daughters are off to enlist and so together with Tootsie, who also lives in their block, and whose just lost her husband Smoky they set off on a road trip. A lovely tale of female friendships and support.

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.

4 Empty Nesters/Full Hearts Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
There is nothing more satisfying than recognizing women do not stop being vital after a certain age. Women have been the disappearing segment once they hit a certain age and the age this happens has been getting younger and younger...

Carolyn Brown has brought together 3 women who have lived full lives as army wives and moms. Their beautiful children have decided to enlist in the army together leaving these women with an "empty nest." There is a husband a little lost...and another man who has decided to divorce his wife now...

As these women figure out their next step, their surrogate mother figure has decided to take an RV trip to Texas remember her late husband. She invites these women to go with her and what takes place is more than a road trip.

Each person has moments with insight and heart. This was a read which touched the heart.

It was great to read a book about grown women! The women in this story had all raised children & were dealing with having an empty nest. I loved the relationship between all 4 of the women in the story. We all need someone like Tootsie in our lives! We also need friendships like the 3 women had. I'm going to recommend this book to all of my friends!

The Empty Nesters was a wonderful story of friendship, love, and loss. The four women in this story Tootsie, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have a special bond. All have been army wives and understand the ups and downs that come along with the territory. Together they embark on a road trip in an RV that's healing and always full of love.

The story starts off with the introduction of Tootsie and her husband Smokey. Carolyn Brown details a loving and loyal relationship between the two. They live in a quaint town where they have neighbors (Diana, Carmen, and Joanie) who they consider family. Smokey and Tootsie were never able to conceive children so they see these women as their own daughters. When Smokey passes away, Tootsie is left trying to decide what to do next in her life. She receives a sign from her husband and knows what she has to do. Take these ladies with her on a road trip.

Along the way, there is an impending divorce, a new relationship, the anticipation of a loved ones return. There are many trials and tribulations that each character faces as the story progresses. Diana, Carmen, and Joanie know what it is like so they are terrified when their daughters are completing their basic training. This may be the longest that they have been away from their daughters so this trip is a great getaway to help them deal with all the struggles in their lives.

I adored the relationship amongst these women. No matter what they were going through, they stuck by each other through thick and thin. I appreciated the heart of this book. Carolyn Brown detailed the life of an army wife so realistically.

I give The Empty Nest 4 stars. It was a genuine novel about figuring out how to handle the trials and tribulations life throws your way and how friendship and love can help us through it all.

Four stars: A delightful story about friendship, hope, love and overcoming grief.

Army wives Diana, Carmen and Joanie are doing their best to staunch the flow of tears. They just said goodbye to their three daughters, who are headed to Basic Training. These three women know a thing or two about military life as they have all been married to career military men. Diana is still getting over her divorce even though it’s been five years, and the thought of an empty house makes her sad. Then disaster strikes when Carmen gets divorce papers in the mail. How could her husband do this to her without even talking to her? Luckily, Tootsie their elderly neighbor who was recently widowed comes to the rescue. Tootsie proposes that all four of them go on a trip in her new RV. Her handsome nephew, Luke, is willing to drive them. What could be better than a little time away to recharge?
What I Liked:
*Carolyn Brown delivers another heaping dose of comfort reading with her latest book: The Empty Nesters. I loved that this book was all about supportive friendships and overcoming grief and loss. Girl power for the win!
*The main focus of this book is on friendship and camaraderie. The four women over the years have forged a strong bond. They feel like family. When disaster strikes, the four drawn in close to help one another. I loved how these women looked out for one another. There is so much positivity and love in this one. The strong female friendships were so inspiring. I loved it.
*I liked that each woman was dealing with a different problem. Tootsie was trying to cope with life after losing her long time husband. Carmen is reeling from her impending divorce, Diana is trying to find love after divorce, and Joanie is questioning the bonds of her own marriage. Each woman was in a different stage of a relationship, and I liked that. It was interesting to watch each woman grapple with her problem and overcome it the best she could. It was a joy to watch these women succeed. I was especially proud of Carmen and Tootsie. Carmen especially gets handed a nasty load to handle. She takes her anger and uses it to help her through. She is fierce and tough, and she comes out on the other side better off. Loved that.
*Yes, there is a romance in this one. It wouldn’t be a Carolyn Brown book without one. I liked that the romance starts out as a friendship and slowly, slowly moves into the romance zone. There are some stumbles and some hesitation, but it all works in the end. It was delightful.
*I loved all the coziness of this one. It takes place during fall, and I loved how the season was incorporated into the story. It is the perfect curl up with a good blanket book. It is full of all the lovely things that fall has to offer.
*The ending is perfect. It catches it up with the characters a few weeks down the road, and everyone is in a good spot. I thought it ended on the right note.
And The Not So Much:
*I was disappointed that we didn’t get to know Smokey a little better. He sounded like such an interesting and kind man.
*I felt like the whole kid drama in the romance was a little forced and predictable, I knew exactly how it was going to play out.

The Empty Nesters is the perfect read for fall. This one features four strong women bonded together thru friendship and love as they grapple with different issues in their relationships. I loved the focus on friendship and love. I also adored the cozy fall feel to this one. It is a lovely read. Grab this and cozy up on a fall day.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.