This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Alija Turkovic for Readers' Favorite
Searching for John Smith by Joan Glase is the story of Julia, a twenty-six-year-old woman struggling with grief and a growing sense that her life has gone nowhere. After her aunt’s death, Julia leaves Ohio and travels alone to Baja, Mexico, hoping the distance will help clear her head. Instead, she meets John Smith, an American who is charming but clearly complicated, with a troubling past. Things move fast between them and become intense, giving Julia a real sense of closeness she has never had before. Then John vanishes suddenly. Not ready to let it end there, Julia goes looking for him alone. Her journey leads her from Mexico into California, where she travels to unfamiliar cities and encounters startling events and moments of deep doubt. Even so, she continues with her search, determined to find answers about John's whereabouts. How does their story end? Read this enthralling story to find the answer.
In Searching for John Smith, Joan Glase does a great job of blending romance, mystery, and self-discovery. I liked how Julia’s emotional growth runs parallel to the journey she’s on. Her determination keeps the story moving, especially when fear and fatigue start to catch up with her. Places like Mexico, San Francisco, and coastal California help map Julia’s growth and wit as the story moves along. The romance is passionate but complicated, formed by secrets and danger rather than idealized love. That complexity kept me engaged and made the story more compelling. Overall, I believe this book will impress readers who enjoy missing-person romances and emotional stories about how far someone might go in the pursuit of love.
