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A Tiny House Novel #1
Tiny House on the Hill
Home is where the heart fits . . .
Summer Murray is ready to shake things up. She doesn’t want to work in risk management. She doesn’t want to live in Hartford, Connecticut. So she plans a grand adventure: she’s going to throw out all the stuff she doesn’t want and travel the country in her very own tiny house house shaped like a train caboose. Just Summer, her chihuahua-dachshund Shortie, and 220 square feet of freedom.
Then her take-no-prisoners grandmother calls to demand Summer head home to the Pacific Northwest to save the family bakery. Summer has her reasons for not wanting to return home, but she’ll just park her caboose, fix things, and then be on her way. But when she gets to Cat’s Paw, Washington, she’s shocked by her grandmother’s strange behavior and reunited with a few people she’d hoped to avoid. If Summer is going to make a fresh start, she’ll have to face the past she’s been running from all along . . .
Summer Murray is ready to shake things up. She doesn’t want to work in risk management. She doesn’t want to live in Hartford, Connecticut. So she plans a grand adventure: she’s going to throw out all the stuff she doesn’t want and travel the country in her very own tiny house house shaped like a train caboose. Just Summer, her chihuahua-dachshund Shortie, and 220 square feet of freedom.
Then her take-no-prisoners grandmother calls to demand Summer head home to the Pacific Northwest to save the family bakery. Summer has her reasons for not wanting to return home, but she’ll just park her caboose, fix things, and then be on her way. But when she gets to Cat’s Paw, Washington, she’s shocked by her grandmother’s strange behavior and reunited with a few people she’d hoped to avoid. If Summer is going to make a fresh start, she’ll have to face the past she’s been running from all along . . .
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2017
About the author
Celia Bonaduce
14 books479 followersCelia Bonaduce has the coolest day job – a field producer on HGTV’s House Hunters. Her credits include other HGTV shows, including Tiny House Hunters, Where Are They Now and ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
If you’re sensing a theme – a love of houses – so did she. After her mother moved into a tiny house of her own, it seemed like a new book series revolving around what it’s like to live in a tiny house was nothing less than providential.
While Celia’s other books – the Venice Beach Romance series and the Fat Chance, Texas trilogy – are anchored in particular places, the heroines of the Tiny House Novels are off to discover life’s big mysteries while living tiny!
If you’re sensing a theme – a love of houses – so did she. After her mother moved into a tiny house of her own, it seemed like a new book series revolving around what it’s like to live in a tiny house was nothing less than providential.
While Celia’s other books – the Venice Beach Romance series and the Fat Chance, Texas trilogy – are anchored in particular places, the heroines of the Tiny House Novels are off to discover life’s big mysteries while living tiny!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 11, 2018
Summer or Clarisse as she prefers is a bit childish and selfish in her attitude, she dithers too much and seems to be afraid of commitments. Ten long years had gone and still she can’t let go, she is rash and her plans are not well thought out, I think she needs to grow up real fast because a guy ain't gonna wait around forever. It took awhile but I think the message got through, that you need to think of others for a change and not just about yourself, for a while there I thought she was going to remain clueless. This book gave mention of celiac disease and gluten intolerance, it also has some cool gluten-free recipes and tips, I also gain tips and ideas for making bags, this has been an interesting gentle romance, the storyline is good and the characters are interesting, a lovely story, although I’m no fan of Summer.
February 9, 2020
The tiny house details were interesting... But the story and characters were only so-so....
August 13, 2017
Celia Bonaduce was a new read for me. I had not ever read this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I loved the main character in Tiny House on the Hill. I thought her neighbor was funny especially when she was - well you will have to wait to read all about it.
Summer Murray is so done with her job and her living arrangements. None of her plans have anything to do with risk management which was the occupation she ended up with. She wants to move on and find adventures with her dog named Shortie and her tiny home with 220 feet. She has dreams of moving around finding ugly sweaters, felting them and making them into purses. Only before her plans gel, her grandmother calls her and demands Summer come out to Washington State to help save the bakery. Summer dutifully goes. Even though she does not want to face anyone from her past and certainly does not want to go to Cat’s Paw!
Summer made me chuckle. I loved how she found her confidence and she seemed to grow into her adventure. I thought the book was a fun read with lots of quirky characters and a decent storyline. I found the idea of going home to find yourself a nice plotline.
Tiny House on the Hill by Celia Bonaduce was a fun read.
Summer Murray is so done with her job and her living arrangements. None of her plans have anything to do with risk management which was the occupation she ended up with. She wants to move on and find adventures with her dog named Shortie and her tiny home with 220 feet. She has dreams of moving around finding ugly sweaters, felting them and making them into purses. Only before her plans gel, her grandmother calls her and demands Summer come out to Washington State to help save the bakery. Summer dutifully goes. Even though she does not want to face anyone from her past and certainly does not want to go to Cat’s Paw!
Summer made me chuckle. I loved how she found her confidence and she seemed to grow into her adventure. I thought the book was a fun read with lots of quirky characters and a decent storyline. I found the idea of going home to find yourself a nice plotline.
Tiny House on the Hill by Celia Bonaduce was a fun read.
July 30, 2017
One day, Clarissa (Summer) Murray finds herself at a cross roads in her life (instigated by the accidental shrinking of a cashmere jumper of all things!) and decides to quit her risk management job, downsize her life, and hit the road with her dog, Shortie, in a caboose shaped Tiny House, with grand plans to make and sell home-made purses at craft markets across the country.
Just before Summer embarks upon her adventure she is contacted by her irascible Grandmother Queenie, who demands she return to Cat’s Paw Washington to help save the family bakery, Dough Z Dough. Even though she is reluctant to face the people she left behind Summer decides to make Cat’s Paw the first stop on her adventure so that she can fix what needs fixing and then move on to her life on the road. After collecting her new home from the intriguing and attractive tiny house designer/builder Bale (the king of mixed messages and “maybe” flirting!) Summer’s trip across country provides a number of amusing insights for the reader into the life of the tiny house traveller. From dealing with surly tiny-house-hating RV park operators, unravelling the intricacies involved with the proper Walmart over-night parking etiquette, and accepting the difficulties of parking the whole rig to do a spot of shopping, the reader follows Summer's journey as she makes her way back home. There, parked in her snug little home atop her favourite hill, she must not only come to terms with all the issues that she had turned her back on years before, she must also make some decisions about her first love vs. the new-comer vying for her affections.
A story of second chances, growth and acceptance Tiny House on the Hill is a charming read that cleverly taps into the reader’s curiosity about the life and travels of the Tiny House community. Let’s face it, haven’t we all watched the Tiny House reality TV shows and thought to ourselves …..”why not me?”. While for me, the romantic resolution wasn't as satisfying as I like, it was overall, a delightful story and I look forward to reading more by this author. A solid 3.5 stars from me!
Just before Summer embarks upon her adventure she is contacted by her irascible Grandmother Queenie, who demands she return to Cat’s Paw Washington to help save the family bakery, Dough Z Dough. Even though she is reluctant to face the people she left behind Summer decides to make Cat’s Paw the first stop on her adventure so that she can fix what needs fixing and then move on to her life on the road. After collecting her new home from the intriguing and attractive tiny house designer/builder Bale (the king of mixed messages and “maybe” flirting!) Summer’s trip across country provides a number of amusing insights for the reader into the life of the tiny house traveller. From dealing with surly tiny-house-hating RV park operators, unravelling the intricacies involved with the proper Walmart over-night parking etiquette, and accepting the difficulties of parking the whole rig to do a spot of shopping, the reader follows Summer's journey as she makes her way back home. There, parked in her snug little home atop her favourite hill, she must not only come to terms with all the issues that she had turned her back on years before, she must also make some decisions about her first love vs. the new-comer vying for her affections.
A story of second chances, growth and acceptance Tiny House on the Hill is a charming read that cleverly taps into the reader’s curiosity about the life and travels of the Tiny House community. Let’s face it, haven’t we all watched the Tiny House reality TV shows and thought to ourselves …..”why not me?”. While for me, the romantic resolution wasn't as satisfying as I like, it was overall, a delightful story and I look forward to reading more by this author. A solid 3.5 stars from me!
August 17, 2017
Confesso di essere una di quelle persone che ultimamente sono state affascinate dal fenomeno delle minicase, così, quando ho visto che sarebbe stato pubblicato un romance in cui la protagonista va a vivere in una minicasa, non ho proprio resistito. Anche perché mi sono quasi innamorata della copertina...
Allora, la parte del libro in cui si discute di tutto ciò che riguarda le minicase è davvero buona; la storia non è male, anche se i due candidati al cuore della protagonista potevano essere caratterizzati meglio. Quella che proprio mi ha fatto urlare di rabbia è la protagonista: ragazza mia, hai 28 anni, ma sembri un'immatura adolescente alle prese con gli scompensi ormonali! E poi, ho capito che appartieni alla generazione dei nativi digitali, ma internet non contiene le risposte a tutti i quesiti, anche i più insulsi. E ci vuole un po' di spirito critico nell'utilizzarlo, non solo fidarsi solamente di quanto è gratuito (e qui stendo un velo pietoso).
Morale della favola: 5 all'ambientazione in minicasa e alla copertina; 4 alla storia e un 3 rosicato (perché si sa, sono buona...) alla protagonista. Il che fa alla fine un 4 stelle di incitamento.
A marzo uscirà il secondo volume: da quanto ho capito, cambieranno tutti i protagonisti in quanto il motivo conduttore della serie è il fatto che la protagonista abiti in una minicasa. Lo leggerò, sperando in un miglioramento.
Allora, la parte del libro in cui si discute di tutto ciò che riguarda le minicase è davvero buona; la storia non è male, anche se i due candidati al cuore della protagonista potevano essere caratterizzati meglio. Quella che proprio mi ha fatto urlare di rabbia è la protagonista: ragazza mia, hai 28 anni, ma sembri un'immatura adolescente alle prese con gli scompensi ormonali! E poi, ho capito che appartieni alla generazione dei nativi digitali, ma internet non contiene le risposte a tutti i quesiti, anche i più insulsi. E ci vuole un po' di spirito critico nell'utilizzarlo, non solo fidarsi solamente di quanto è gratuito (e qui stendo un velo pietoso).
Morale della favola: 5 all'ambientazione in minicasa e alla copertina; 4 alla storia e un 3 rosicato (perché si sa, sono buona...) alla protagonista. Il che fa alla fine un 4 stelle di incitamento.
A marzo uscirà il secondo volume: da quanto ho capito, cambieranno tutti i protagonisti in quanto il motivo conduttore della serie è il fatto che la protagonista abiti in una minicasa. Lo leggerò, sperando in un miglioramento.
July 25, 2017
Tiny House on the Hill (A Tiny House Novel #1) by Celia Bonaduce
Summer leaves her job in Connecticut, buys a tiny house (shaped like a caboose) and plans on traveling the country. She and her tiny dog Shortie are ready for adventure. Then her grandmother calls asking her to come to Washington (State) and help her with her bakery. Reluctantly she decides to go and help. Summer now must face come to terms with her past, if she wants to move on in the future.
A fast paced exciting read. I liked Summer, she is complicated, with inner turmoil. She has to confront situations, her feelings and her present situation, which at times is not an easy task. Add her quirky, strong willed grandmother, makes this an unpredictable fun read. Overall I enjoyed Tiny House on the Hill and feel others will as well. A perfect "beach read".
*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Summer leaves her job in Connecticut, buys a tiny house (shaped like a caboose) and plans on traveling the country. She and her tiny dog Shortie are ready for adventure. Then her grandmother calls asking her to come to Washington (State) and help her with her bakery. Reluctantly she decides to go and help. Summer now must face come to terms with her past, if she wants to move on in the future.
A fast paced exciting read. I liked Summer, she is complicated, with inner turmoil. She has to confront situations, her feelings and her present situation, which at times is not an easy task. Add her quirky, strong willed grandmother, makes this an unpredictable fun read. Overall I enjoyed Tiny House on the Hill and feel others will as well. A perfect "beach read".
*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2017
I received an ARC via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.
I really enjoyed this cute book. Well written with a good storyline and likeable characters.
I really enjoyed this cute book. Well written with a good storyline and likeable characters.
March 5, 2021
I didn't care much for the main character, Summer. She was 28 but acted like a 15 year old wondering if every guy she met liked her or wanted to take her out or kiss her. It was very annoying.
She was self absorbed & oblivious to other people's feelings. Sometimes when a character starts out that way, they usually redeem themselves in the end but not in this case. At least, not to my satisfaction.
She was self absorbed & oblivious to other people's feelings. Sometimes when a character starts out that way, they usually redeem themselves in the end but not in this case. At least, not to my satisfaction.
August 12, 2017
Tiny House on the Hill by Celia Bonaduce is A Tiny House Novel. Clarisse “Summer” Murray is twenty-eight years old and has decided to make some big changes. Summer has quit her job, sold her condo, and commissioned a tiny house in the shape of a caboose. After shrinking a cashmere sweater in the wash and discovering she cannot unshrink it, Summer explores felting. She is going to felt sweaters, make them into purses, and sell them at craft shows while traveling around the continental United States (let’s forget that she does not know how to sew). Then she receives a call from her grandmother, Queenie asking her to come home to Cat’s Paw, Washington to help with the family bakery, Dough Z Dough. Summer packs up Big Red (her new truck), leaves most of her belonging behind (her neighbor, Lynnie will dispose of them for her) and heads to Kentucky to pick up her new tiny home. Bale Barrett, of Bale’s Tiny Dreams, has her new home ready to go. After having dinner with Bale and making plans to meet in Seattle in a few weeks, Summer starts her new life as a tiny home owner with her dog, Shortie. Summer has not been home in ten years since her heart was broken by bakery manager, Keefe Devlin. She is hoping to fix whatever is wrong with the bakery, and quickly head off on her adventure. But her grandmother’s odd behavior puts a wrinkle in her plans (just the first of several). Summer must discover what is bothering Queenie and (finally) deal with her unresolved feelings toward Keefe.
Tiny House on the Hill is a light-hearted romance novel (which was not what I expected). The story is easy to read and has a steady pace. I liked Shortie (he was a cutie). I just felt the story was a little cheesy (silly too). Summer put more research into how Shortie should travel in the truck, then her journey (tiny homes are not accepted everywhere plus she should have done test drive’s before embarking out on the open road). Summer fantasizes romance with her tiny home builder (she met him once) and then gets jealous of Keefe being around his old girlfriend, Evie (really, after ten years). Summer ogles, flirts and thinks too much about Bale and Keefe (reminded me of a sixteen-year-old girls reminisces). My rating for Tiny House on the Hill is 3 out of 5 stars. The story had the expected ending (which was a little rushed). I did appreciate the attention brought to suffers of celiac disease (my own sister has this issue). Summer’s tiny house sounded adorable. I have (like many people) watched the shows on these portable, tiny homes (my books would not fit into 220 square feet). Lynnie provided some comic relief. If you are wanting a light, humorous romantic story to read, then check out Tiny House on the Hill.
Tiny House on the Hill is a light-hearted romance novel (which was not what I expected). The story is easy to read and has a steady pace. I liked Shortie (he was a cutie). I just felt the story was a little cheesy (silly too). Summer put more research into how Shortie should travel in the truck, then her journey (tiny homes are not accepted everywhere plus she should have done test drive’s before embarking out on the open road). Summer fantasizes romance with her tiny home builder (she met him once) and then gets jealous of Keefe being around his old girlfriend, Evie (really, after ten years). Summer ogles, flirts and thinks too much about Bale and Keefe (reminded me of a sixteen-year-old girls reminisces). My rating for Tiny House on the Hill is 3 out of 5 stars. The story had the expected ending (which was a little rushed). I did appreciate the attention brought to suffers of celiac disease (my own sister has this issue). Summer’s tiny house sounded adorable. I have (like many people) watched the shows on these portable, tiny homes (my books would not fit into 220 square feet). Lynnie provided some comic relief. If you are wanting a light, humorous romantic story to read, then check out Tiny House on the Hill.
January 11, 2020
Let's call it a 2.5. It would have been a 3, which is actually a good rating for me for books that are escapism. I love the concept of basing these books on tiny house living and the author is pretty forthright about the problems, primarily how areas are lagging in zoning to allow this lifestyle. But while this is educational she is dangerously off the mark in other areas leaving me to wonder if she is irresponsible, unethical or ignorant. She displays all 3 concerning the care of a dachshund or dachshund mix such as her Chiweenie (or Dachsiehuahua as we sometimes say). They should NEVER do steps or stairs and I cringed every time Summer displayed her ignorance encouraging Shortie to not only do them, but to do excessively tall risers. And going down is twice as bad as going up because of pressure on the spinal cord so when Shortie finally mastered moving down the stairs I wanted to grab him and run. If Summer wasn't prepared to make these stairs off-limit and carry him up and down she should have bought a tiny home with a sleeping area downstairs! I hope no one reads this book and decides to get a dachshund and a tiny home with expectations of their dog using stairs. If they do, get the author to help pay the $8000 surgical bill or purchase the dog a cart after it is paralyzed. To add insult to injury Summer demonstrated her participation in one of the biggest ethical issues in the dog world today, manipulating the ESA program. To order a vest, to not need an emotional support animal?? Does one not think most of us would love for our dogs to accompany us everywhere but, until books like this push more to the side of wrong, the majority recognizes the moral obligation to not abuse the program. This book needs to be seriously edited and re-released. I will not purchase more from this author.
November 29, 2017
Good quick read
I enjoyed this book, with its tangled relationships. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to relate to Summer - both because I’m not at all obsessed with tiny houses and because I’m not someone who runs away from problems. However, I found her charming (if slightly annoying).
I enjoyed this book, with its tangled relationships. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to relate to Summer - both because I’m not at all obsessed with tiny houses and because I’m not someone who runs away from problems. However, I found her charming (if slightly annoying).
May 19, 2018
Lured by tiny houses? Come Inside
Summer needs to reinvent herself and she’s sure that a Tiny house is the wave of her future. I love eccentric characters and the tiny house just adds to the fun. I am a big fan of Celia Bonaduce’s writing and Tiny House on the Hill doesn’t disappoint. I look forward to the next one.
Summer needs to reinvent herself and she’s sure that a Tiny house is the wave of her future. I love eccentric characters and the tiny house just adds to the fun. I am a big fan of Celia Bonaduce’s writing and Tiny House on the Hill doesn’t disappoint. I look forward to the next one.
June 17, 2018
Rekindled love in the Pacific northwest...
This was a cute story. It would make a perfect Hallmark movie! I loved that she put the recipes from the book at the end, so I can try them! I will definitely read the next book.
This was a cute story. It would make a perfect Hallmark movie! I loved that she put the recipes from the book at the end, so I can try them! I will definitely read the next book.
August 22, 2017
Nice Read
A nice comfortable read.Interesting but a little slow for my taste.Not enough action.. But I'll try another one of her books.
A nice comfortable read.Interesting but a little slow for my taste.Not enough action.. But I'll try another one of her books.
October 9, 2017
Summer Murray does shake things up and you'll want to know how. It's the perfect Fall book.
April 3, 2018
A wonderful story. Hard to put down.
December 2, 2019
2.5 stars
January 31, 2020
Tiny houses
There is a lot of adjustment to be made to downsize into a tiny house. This tale is an insight into that adjustment. Nice.
There is a lot of adjustment to be made to downsize into a tiny house. This tale is an insight into that adjustment. Nice.
February 24, 2020
Cute, feel good read! Plan on reading the other two in this trilogy. Sometimes you just need a quick, feel good read when there’s crazy stuff going on in the world!
July 3, 2020
Very cute, easy read
August 14, 2017
Summer plans on a grand adventure. She begins downsizing before move.
Grandma calls and tells her she must return to Cat's Paw (where she spent all her summers growing up).
As she goes back into her past, she finds her future.
1st in a new series - A Tiny House Series
I have been fascinated with tiny houses since I saw them.
Grandma calls and tells her she must return to Cat's Paw (where she spent all her summers growing up).
As she goes back into her past, she finds her future.
1st in a new series - A Tiny House Series
I have been fascinated with tiny houses since I saw them.
September 16, 2019
At first, I had a hard time getting into the book; it took me about 50 pages. However, the story was interesting right from the start, and I loved that it was about tiny homes!
I ended up enjoying the book and would read another book by this author in the future.
I ended up enjoying the book and would read another book by this author in the future.
August 15, 2017
Tiny Houses and baked goods
This story was okay - not great, not terrible but just okay. It had a lot of information on Tiny moveable Houses but that's not what I'm looking for in a romance. I'm looking for characters I can like and relate to. The female protagonist of the story is the only one that was truly developed - and I wasn't too fond of her. Oh, I did like her Chihuahua/Dachshund mixed dog, Shortie, though.
The rest of the characters, including romantic interests, were rather shadowy and indistinct. I couldn't visualize them fully at all.
Clarisse "Summer" Murray left Cat's Paw, Washington ten years ago, traveled, went to college, and has been working in risk management for an insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut. She decides she wants a life change and decides to buy a traveling Tiny House and travel all over with her dog. Then she's contacted by her grandmother requesting her help back at the family bakery in Cat's Paw and her life takes a detour.
If you're looking for an interesting story on details of Tiny Houses, this might be for you. Just don't expect a fully fleshed out romance.
I received this book from Lyrical Press through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
This story was okay - not great, not terrible but just okay. It had a lot of information on Tiny moveable Houses but that's not what I'm looking for in a romance. I'm looking for characters I can like and relate to. The female protagonist of the story is the only one that was truly developed - and I wasn't too fond of her. Oh, I did like her Chihuahua/Dachshund mixed dog, Shortie, though.
The rest of the characters, including romantic interests, were rather shadowy and indistinct. I couldn't visualize them fully at all.
Clarisse "Summer" Murray left Cat's Paw, Washington ten years ago, traveled, went to college, and has been working in risk management for an insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut. She decides she wants a life change and decides to buy a traveling Tiny House and travel all over with her dog. Then she's contacted by her grandmother requesting her help back at the family bakery in Cat's Paw and her life takes a detour.
If you're looking for an interesting story on details of Tiny Houses, this might be for you. Just don't expect a fully fleshed out romance.
I received this book from Lyrical Press through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews