The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks is a quirky, fun and quick read. Even though I hadn't read the first book of the series, I had no difficulty following the plot line. I would have liked a little bit more depth to the characters, as everything seemed to be on the surface. Overall, the book was fine but I wanted more.

I would like to thank author Julie Valerie, NetGalley, and publisher Lake Union Publishing for giving me a free ebook arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. First, I want to say after finishing the first book earlier this year, I was so excited to see there was a second book about our favorite mother, wife, and aspiring filmmaker Holly Banks in the amazing village of Primm. With that being said this book picked up right where the first book ended. Holly Banks is still trying to juggle her family and personal obligations, but when Snuggle, her dog, causes a situation that changes Holly Banks' life, the reader is taken on a journey of self-growth and discovery, which brings Holly Banks and the residences of Primm stronger.
I really enjoyed the quick wit and laugh out loud moments throughout this book, especially Holly and Mary-Margaret St. James' love/hate relationship. I really enjoy how Holly may not be the perfect mom, but she is a realistic mom, who is willing to do anything and everything for her family. I appreciate how the author was able to create interesting secondary characters, who had their own story line, which was a little hard to take an interest in, but was eventually drawn in. Overall, I really enjoyed this second book as much as the first book. My fingers are cross for a third book!

The overall tone of the book is very chaotic right from page 1, the author has tried very hard to show how unorganised Holly is, and how much of a misfit she is. The book falls within that genre of books where there you typically have a woman protagonist, she is ideally unorganised and struggles to get her life together, she still has a heart of gold and eventually it all works out for her. However, although, there are books in this genre that work very well, this one just doesn’t cut it. DNF for me unfortunately.

A fabulous insight to a ‘real’ family and just how hard it is for a mum to keep up the persona of everything is perfect.

Spoke to me directly in the concept of juggling a million balls all at once.

I’d recommend this to fans of Lucy Diamond

I'd like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my review.

When I requested this book, I didn't realize it was book 2 in a series, and that it was the sequel to a book I read last year and didn't really enjoy very much. I believe book 1 was offered as an Amazon Prime first read program, and I didn't get very far into the book before abandoning it.

But. This is book 2, and I have been reading different sorts of books over this past year, so I went ahead and started this book. I"m not sure if it's a difference in writing style or my tastes in reading material, but I did enjoy this book more. Holly Banks is a whirlwind of .... stuff. IT was hard to keep up with her and how much she was busy with and involved with everything. So not me. haha

Overall, this wasn't a bad book. Regular readers of rom-coms or people closer to the characters age might enjoy it more than I did. But I'm not sure if I will look for more by the author or in the series. I can't pin point a reason I didn't like this more other than at times, it was just 'too much'.

I read the first Holly Banks book earlier this year and thought it was okay. I wanted to read this book thinking maybe I would enjoy this one. Unfortunately, I was not blown away by this book. It was okay, I did like Holly more in this book than the first book, but I still did not feel any type of connection with her or any of the other characters. I did struggle to get through this book, as it seemed to have too many things going on and started to go all over the place like the first book. All in all this book wasn't terrible, but I don't think I would list this as a recommendation. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Pubslishing for a digital arc of this title.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. I enjoyed the first one and wanted to continue on with the 2nd but unfortunately I wasn't a fan.

I gave it a few good shots but I feel like it just jumps all over the place and it was starting to not make sense. It was like all jumbled up with nowhere to go.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy.

What a delightful time I’ve had, returning to the Village of Primm! Author Julie Valerie has brought us back to spend time with Holly Banks in this uplifting, funny and poignant sequel to Holly Banks Full of Angst. This is a heartfelt book about community, motherhood, friendships, fate, luck, and figuring out what is worth fighting for? There were so many scenes I laughed out loud—the humor in this book is sharp and clever. There were other scenes which were quiet and thoughtful. Whether I was chuckling along with the antics of the dog, captivated by the cuteness of Ella the kindergartner, or commiserating with Holly’s struggles, my heart was always involved.

The Title/Cover Draw:
I really enjoyed the first book and wanted to continue my journey with Holly. I also really liked the simplistic cover.
What I liked:
The characters continue to be quirky and there is a mystery involved in this book like the first one!
What I didn’t like:
A little repetitive of Holly’s inner monologue
What kept me reading:
The characters are really unique and fun. I also wanted to see if Holly fulfills her dream.
The Characters:
Holly has some fun friends - Colin has a hobby aircraft, Penelope is a realtor who does everything. It’s so nice to continue to get to know these people.
The Ending:
A little bittersweet and also a little unresolved
Consider if you like:
Fun quick beach reads.

See my video review here:
https://youtu.be/3_hx59CBmnw

I did not know this was book two in a series, I requested the title because the cover and description seemed fun. Though, I admit I could've gone back and read book #1, I do think I was able to quickly find my way with this quirky little novel.

Holly Banks's life is peculiar indeed, from the move to the village of Primm, home to the prestigious academy where she wants her daughter to go to school, to obsessions with modern hobbies such as bullet journaling (which I dabble in myself) to home organization (which I definitely should do) and keeping up with the Joneses in general, her ambitious plans to convert part of her home into a home studio and launch Holly Banks Productions - social media, video and film making business and offer her services to the residents of the village and the surrounding area.

Quirky set of characters is rounded up with the family pet called Struggle, friend Caleb, Shaneequa, Penelope and the others - all very interesting in their own right. We get glimpses of financial troubles and shaky family relationships, a misbehaving dog departing on many an (un)fortunate adventures which plunges Jack & Holly's family deeper into village life, its history and heritage.

I found the concept of the enclave tour where HOAs sign up certain houses to be on the tour for tourism to pick up in the village again after a certain Topiary Park incident to be quite interesting.

The only bit I didn't care about that much was Becky the psychic, Holly turning to her for advice in difficult times and the ominous message that Becky is nearer than we think (I've got an inkling sensation as to who she may be!) nice foreshadowing for what's to come in another book. I can see the psychic's rise in popularity all over the internet but I don't care much for them.

I found the mention of all this modern struggles written in a humorous tone to be quite a nice break from the historical fiction and fantasy I've been reading lately. A real refreshing read, I'm glad the cover caught my eye! Goes to prove a good cover can take you a long way.

When first requesting this book I wasn't aware that it was a second book in a story which made it a little more difficult to get into. Overall though, the book was very fun and light which is exactly what you need to read sometimes! It definitely allowed for some deep thought about what is most important in life. Would recommend!

Thank You to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me an eArc in exchange of a honest opinion.
While the blurb and the cover attracted me to this book straight away I cannot say I loved the book.
This book presents the story of Holly Banks, new resident of the very upscale village of Primm, full of fashionable and rich mums and Holly, who does not seem to fit and is full of anxiety about her perceived lack of luck.
I have to admit I have not read the first book and I was lost at times. I felt like characters just sprung in the story and there was also a back story that didn’t make sense, but I imagine having read the first book might have helped. There seems to be a back story between the formidable Mary Margaret and the main character, between Penelope and the other characters. Not having previous understanding did hinder the story progression for me personally. I had to keep going back and re-read pages to make sure the story linked and connected therefore it felt frustrating and disjointed.
I also felt there was too much recap at times about the events in the books. I also didn’t like Holly too much to start with. She felt like an insecure teenager that craves what others have (career, house, time, food for children, chandelier etc), complains that no one understands her, and throws tantrums when things don’t go her way. She grew on me a little by the end of the book.
I would probably enjoy the book more had I read the first one.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, Holly Banks Full of Angst, and was looking forward to this book. It didn't disappoint and I enjoyed returning to the Village of Primm. This book is light hearted and funny while also getting into some more serious topics. Holly is always getting herself into funny situations but she finds solutions to get herself out of them. The family dynamic in this book is sweet and Holly is just trying to be a good mom in the Village of Primm. I'd recommend the Holly Banks books to anyone who likes contemporary novels that are heartwarming and light.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.

While this second round of Holly was entertaining it did fall a bit short for me. It was a little too much on the unrealistic side, the cursing was more than I’d care to have in a book, and she just seems to never be satisfied with what she has. It’s worth the read if you need something for a day at the pool/beach but unfortunately I wouldn’t rush out to get it. I appreciate the opportunity to read for an honest review.

I have to admit that I enjoyed this book more than I did the previous book. That being said, I didn't finish it. I read nearly 50% before I set it aside. I guess I'm just not a fan of Holly Banks. The relationships around her didn't feel real and genuine, the characters didn't seem deep or enjoyable. I always give authors a second chance as I've found some truly good books I would have missed, but this just isn't that case.

Thank you for allowing me to read and give my honest opinion.

Great book! Charming and charming characters. writing is sharp and witty. would definitely recommend.

This was a delightful read that I would have thoroughly enjoyed reading by the beach. As a former lab owner, I loved the antics of Struggle and would have liked to see her a bit more. The plot itself was well-paced and the characters believable. I only have two suggestions when it comes to the book:
1. When Holly is asking how fast they will be going in the ultralight Caleb responds that they will be going "Slower. More like a gallop." A gallop is the top gait of a horse while a canter is the second-fastest. While it is not important to the flow as a former horse girl it annoyed me a bit.
2. After a while Holly's "cursing" started to become a bit annoying. While some substitutes are okay by the time she was saying "oh hail no" and "ef" I felt her extended cursing took me out of the story a bit.
Some things I absolutely loved about the book were:
1. Caleb flying over the wedding of q and u.
2. Holly's astonishment at the number of things kindergarteners were supposed to have accomplished by their first few weeks. It reminded me of my sister's kindergarten teacher who also sent the kids home with a novel of a homework package during summer vacation.
3. Scrabble talk
Oh, and I would really love the recipe for Greta's Chicken Taco soup! It sounds delightful to enjoy while watching the Bucs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this advanced copy which I received in return for an honest review.

Rating: .5/5 stars

Unrealistic, unrelatable, and boring.

This was a sad DNF for me at 25.1%.

The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks was a book I wanted to enjoy. I loved the cover, I loved the quirky title, I loved the reviews I'd read by other readers. I was ready to fall in love with this book. But...I couldn't. I had such a hard time connecting with this book that it took me two weeks to finally give up, a quarter of the way through.

Primm, the town Holly lives in, is the kind of cutesy, almost fairytale like town that would make me excited. It resonated a lot, for me anyway, with Stars Hollow and I was here for it. I was even here for the notes and the HOA debacle. That was good.

What I wasn't here for was Holly, her husband, and their dog (which sucks because I love dogs). Struggle just doesn't feel...like a dog. She gets into too much trouble, gets into too much excitement, and ends up really annoying more than anything else. Jack (I think that's his name) was just blah. An unsupportive husband who wrings his hands instead of helping his wife deal with their nutso dog? Yeah, it's 2020 and I'm not here for that lack of spousal support. And Holly...well...Holly was so hard to read I found myself cringing anytime she spoke.

Also, who tries to land a plane in a front yard? Like, c'mon people.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and all of the opinions in this review are my own.

Holly Banks wants it all. The perfect house, the perfect job and the perfect family but fate keeps getting in her way. Holly is surrounded by women who seem to have it all and she is constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses. As her daughter struggles with school, her husbands job is up in the air, her mom has all but moved in and taken up dating Holly realize she had too much going on. On top of it all Hollys dog has somehow uncovered an ancient artifact that has had the neighbor towns feuding for years. Holly now finds herself in one more situation she doesn’t want to be in.

This book is full of wittiness and fun but I didn’t connect to it as much as I did the first book. I found there to be too many things going on at once so it was hard to focus.

Okay so, I genuinely enjoyed the first one in the series, but this one was just a bit too much for me. It took me ages to finish, and it felt like nothing happened. I think my main problem with it was that it just took up right where the last book left rather than having a bit of time in between the two rather significant happenings in these two books. Also it seemed like no one faced consequences in this book whatsoever and no one really took anything (ie. job loss, leaks in house) seriously?