Branching Out

by Kerstin March

[NOTE: This novel is the sequel to FAMILY TREES, by Kerstin March]

Nestled along the shores of the beautiful Great Lakes, Meyers Orchard is where Shelby Meyers found unexpected love and strength—and now must forge a new life on her own terms…Marriage marks both a happy ending and a new chapter for Shelby Meyers. She and Ryan Chambers have overcome tremendous odds to stand together in her grandparents' orchard on the bluffs of Lake Superior, exchanging vows. Still, there are challenges old and new to contend with. Shelby struggles to find her niche among Ryan’s prominent Chicago family, while her own mother remains unreliable and unpredictable, impacting her life even from afar.

Though Shelby’s love for Ryan is as deep-rooted as the orchard, her rocky upbringing makes her hesitant to start a family. Before she can reconcile those feelings, a personal tragedy throws Shelby’s confidence, and her marriage, into crisis. To move forward she’ll have to go back—to her Great Lakes hometown and her mother, and to secrets she could never have guessed at, as she resolves to branch out on her own…

Genres: Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published November 24, 2015

About the author

Kerstin March is the author of FAMILY TREES and BRANCHING OUT (Kensington Publishing), which were also released in German as Die Zeit der Apfelbluten and Apfelbluten Sommer (LYX Egmont). She a member of the Tall Poppy Writers, and serves on the Board of Directors for Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA). March earned her BA degree in English from St. Olaf College and studied English literature at Oxford University. She is currently working on her third novel.

Reviews

[Christie Sitterly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled when I realized that this was the sequel to Family Trees, a book I truly enjoyed. I love a good love story, and Branching Out is just that. This book details the lives of Ryan and Shelby, two individuals who come from very different walks of life. Branching Out chronicles further difficulties and a great tragedy the couple must come to terms with. One can't help but root for the characters and that they will prevail over their circumstances. I highly recommend this book!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! Lake Superior plays her own special role in this story, which makes it a perfect book to devour over winter break!

[Janice M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Branching Out picks up right where Family Trees ends. When we left off Shelby had moved to the city to be with Ryan. Somewhere along the way Ryan proposes, kicking off the second novel with the wedding. Embarking on a new journey to spend the rest of their lives together, but will the secrets they're hiding destroy everything......

I love the way Kerstin March continues to tell Shelby and Ryan's story. Branching Out gives us an honest look into the lives of two very different people who are trying to make it, and live their own happily ever after. There are so many moving moments in this novel that will make you cry and give you hope. Beautifully written and looking forward to book three!

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! A sequel to Family Trees, Branching Out is everything readers of the first novel needed and wanted to know. Set on gorgeous Lake Superior, this novel follows two fascinating people who have complex pasts to face before they can move forward with their life together. Check out my review on BookTrib.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

Branching Out picks up where it’s predecessor, Family Trees left off. While Shelby and Ryan embark on a new journey, ready to form their union and spend forever together, they have secrets that threaten to damage their relationship and everything it stands for.

For Shelby, so much of the foundation of her life has been uprooted. It’s so hard for her to settle into a life with Ryan that’s so vastly different from what she’s known. And for Ryan, he can’t get over the past. It weighs heavily on him, but he’s not sure he’ll ever be able to admit that to Shelby. I felt as though Branching Out went more into the backstory of both main characters, allowing us the opportunity to understand the why’s behind who they’ve become and the dynamics of their relationship.

When tragedy strikes, the only place where Shelby feels she can heal is back home at Lake Superior. But in the midst of her own turmoil and grief, she’s left behind the one person she swore she’d spend eternity with, for better or for worse. Will their relationship survive?

Branching Out gives an honest look into the lives of two people who are trying hard to make it, and live a happily ever after in the process. There were many moments during the novel where I was overcome with emotion, teary-eyed, angry and undeniably sad. I knew there was a chance that all would end well, even if that meant the status quo had changed, which is so true to the way life works for most of us. I highly recommend the "Meyers Orchard" series, hopeful there will be a part three to Shelby and Ryan’s story.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Branching out is a beautifully written, heartwrenching story of loss, grief, and forgiveness. It picks up shortly after the events of Family Trees and starts at a wedding. March has done a great job at weaving in details from the first book and things that happened between the two without it feeling like a history lesson. I love how poetic the writing feels and March definitely has a way with words. I do admit though that I had some trouble connecting to the story until about 80 pages in, at which point I then was completely enraptured. Branching Out definitely delivers a powerful message and although at times is rather despondent it is also very beautiful. If you love a good emotional story that will make your heart ache, then Branching Out is perfect for you. Just don't forget the tissues!

P.s. I highly recommend reading Family Trees before reading Branching Out.

** I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. *

[Heather Anastasiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re like me, then you often wonder, “what happens after the ‘happily ever after’?” The truth is, the first year of marriage is often the most difficult of any couple’s life, and things happen that make it even more so for Ryan and Shelby. Even if you haven’t read Family Trees, you quickly get caught up in this couple’s story. This book goes into intense places so that I was crying and couldn’t stop flipping pages. When I began this series, I thought I was just getting an easy heart-warming small-town romance. But these two books are so much more. There’s so much about life and love and loss—and what it means to build a REAL partnership that endures. A very special book.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway, and loved every page of Shelby and Ryan's story. After the fairytale romance comes the unavoidable reality of life in all its beautiful and heartbreaking ways. I adored the way family and home were centric in helping the characters navigate the rough waters we all face. A highly recommended read!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers of Nora Roberts and Janet Dailey need to discover Kerstin March. Finish her debut novel, Family Trees, and immediately after you will want to begin this sequel, Branching Out. Love and loss and redemption, a little glamour and the magical beauty of Lake Superior make this volume a nice place to spend your day.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read and enjoyed March's first book - particularly because of the setting in Bayfield. There are parts of this book that I enjoyed, but I thought it was out of balance. I wished that some parts had more emphasis and some parts less. It is hard to go into that without spoilers, but I will say that I thought the discussions and time spent on the "coming together" in the beautiful place was way to brief. There could have been so much richness in exploring "their process", since that seemed to be a key part of what the book was about. I also think she could have explored more how they came to feel about where they were and where they would be living at the end. And I do have to also say that like another reader, I struggled with the inaccurate geography. It wasn't a big deal for me that she moved The Sea Caves closer to Bayfield. But putting the hospital in Eau Claire anywhere near Fond du Lac made no sense and was disrupting. Having said that, there was a nice overall concept behind the book.

[Janka H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A romance about a young couple in love..and in troubles.

Shelby and Ryan starts the novel (the sequel to the Family Trees) by their dreamy wedding. But even the wedding is a bit blurred by another scandalous behaviour by bride’s mother.
And the groom has a painful secret on his heart, too.

As they start their life together, (almost) all is bright - well, the press is difficult, yes, but they love each other. But this love will be tested when the tragedy strikes.

Quite sweet, yet skin-deep and Harlequin-like. I like the rich visuals, yet I would love much deeper characters (the only exception is the mother, who has become my favourite character because of said certain depth).

[Joella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one I didn't finish. I got it from a library book sale and didn't realize it was a sequel, and I didn't want to commit to two books. :)

[C.L. Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice light reading

[Giselle Armijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE the cover of this book…!

[Sharon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the 2nd of a series, and I hope the series ends right here. I read the first one, kind of liked it even though it was obvious it needed serious editing. I even gave it 5 stars for trying, but this one! Horrible! She obviously did little research on where cities are in Wisconsin. You do not get off the interstate to rural roads in Fond du Lac! You get off on a 6 lane highway to get to the hospital. Then in the same chapter she has Shelby in a hospital in Eau Claire. What? Eau Claire and Fond du Lac are 6 hours apart, across the state from each other. It was pretty obvious before, especially in this book, it needed editing. But when she moved entire cities for no reason, all I can think is, she never read what she wrote. That's where I quit reading, when she couldn't seem to decide which city Shelby and her cab driver actually stopped in. Enough already, I tossed both books in a box for Goodwill. Maybe someone else will like them who doesn't know the geography of Wisconsin and will enjoy them. I just couldn't get past the mistakes all the way through, but the Fond du Lac/Eau Claire one was too much. Maybe if Ms Marsh gets an editor, I may try another book by her. But not anytime soon.

[Margaret Galbraith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not realise there was a book before this one titled "Family Trees" but you could read this without the first one. I might try to find it later just to clear up some things mentioned in this book. So far an easy read but not been reading much lately. Good holiday reading with a few twists and turns even if a little predictable. On completion there is no need to read the first one unless you really wanted to as it all comes together and you find out everything anyway. I quite enjoyed this change from what I usually read.

[Sarah Quickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page of Branching Out, you are immersed in the beauty of the Apostle Islands.
March’s writing style flows so easily that you can relax and be taken away in the story.
The characters are like your best friend. A heartfelt story of love, loss, and growth.
A lovely read and I am anxiously awaiting to see what else this author will produce.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, but not as powerful as the first book. I adore Bayfield, and missed its presence in this sequel. I also had a hard time relating to Shelby, who seemed far to young and naive to be realistic. In the end, when the story returns to Bayfield, my interest was more intense....March does a wonderful job of turning the town and Lake Superior into its own character in the story.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing really happens and it's really boring.