And All the Phases of the Moon

by Judy Reene Singer

Delving into the mysteries of the human heart with humor and emotion, master storyteller Judy Reene Singer explores what it means to begin again after a life touched by tragedy . . .
 
Aila Cordeiro absolutely cannot take on an abandoned pit bull. So why is she suddenly filling food bowls for the wounded stray and opening her seaside home to him? Maybe it’s the sadness in the pup’s eyes, a sorrow that mirrors her own. But caring for another is not on Aila’s agenda anymore.  As the sole owner of the general store in a Cape Cod tourist town, she has enough on her hands.  Besides Aila can’t love anyone ever again. Not since her husband—her heart—boarded a boat with her beloved father two years ago, never to return . . .
 
Of course, life is what happens while you’re making other plans. Now instead of solitude and grief, Aila is suddenly at the center of controversy in the small town. And the only person on her side, besides her best friend, is a stranger whose heart might be more battered than her own.  Ex-Navy seal Sam Ahmadi has seen his share of misfortune, which is why Aila never expects him to be the one to show her how to live again in the face of shattering loss. How to hope for the happiness you once dreamed of . . .
 
“Page-turning, beautifully written . . .”
— Library Journal on In the Shadow of Alabama, STARRED REVIEW

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

304 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2018

About the author

Born in Alabama and raised in New York, Judy Reene Singer is a former high school English teacher. When not writing or riding horses, she donates her time to animal rescue. She is the author of Horseplay (Random House, 2004), Still Life with Elephant (Morrow, 2009) and An Inconvenient Elephant (Morrow, 2010).

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely gentle read which meanders through the small town of Aila’s youth. Aila is mourning the loss of her husband and father in a boating accident while trying to keep the family business afloat. The town felt real to me and I cared about each character and what they were going through. The story touches on racism and bigotry in a compelling and realistic way. Throw in an adoring rescue pit bull and you get a wonderful escape for a few hours.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this and may still have some tears in my eyes. Shut up, I am not crying, you are crying.

Usually, I am the big fan of the happy ending where everything wraps up neatly, the woman gets the man, happily ever after. This is not that book. This is the book where bad things, the worst things, happen.

But it is realistic and hopeful and our heroine, Alia, goes from a closed heart to a life with possibilities. I liked it, and would seek out others by the author.

[Nancy Howington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story, but author rambles on

The basic story about the dog is good but the author rambles on and on with descriptions that are tedious. I skipped at least half the book. Won’t read more from this author.

[Elaine Nickolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good story. Aila, owner of the local coffee shop/tourist shop/bakery/ and mail pick-up joint is a widow. In fact, she lost both her husband and her father in the same accident 2 years ago. She has successfully shut down her heart as she goes thru the motions of existing day to day. That is until she finds a stray pit bull and this starts a whole string of re-awakening for her. Suddenly she is seeing things differently, and learning some old secrets. As she begins to allow emotions back into her life, things will never be the same again, and that is probably a good thing.
I enjoyed this story with its "feel good" conclusion.

[Melody Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

And All The Phases Of The Moon – Judy Reene Singer

I was fortunate to receive this novel as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Aila Cordeiro is a young widow, living alone on the shores of Cape Cod sound, as she runs her fathers little general store and tries to pick up the pieces of her life. After losing both her husband and father in a storm at sea, along with caring for a mother with Alzheimers who’s now in a home, she finds comfort in the familiar routine of the business, and she measures her life by the steady waxing and waning phases of the moon.

When an injured, emaciated dog starts following her, and eventually finds it’s way into her heart and home - in spite of herself, Aila starts to feel again…then she meets Sam Ahmadi, a Navy war veteran, wrapped up in blankets, sleeping on the pier of her beach. The nephew of a local townswoman, Sam and Aila find a shared comfort and understanding in one another’s painful experiences.

Then, out of the blue, a chance encounter, lead to false accusations surrounding Aila & Sam and those she cares about – pitting neighbors and community against those she loves.

An appealing story about love, loss, healing, secrets, and learning to love again. This book was a sweet surprise for me and had me turning the pages in anticipation of what was coming next. I read it in one sitting and didn’t want it to end!!

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting story about healing, and bigotry set on Cape Cod. I never really felt a connection to the main characters.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been two years since Aila's husband and father disappeared in a boating incident and Aila's heart still hasn't healed. She runs a general store in town that has been owned by her family for generations and she hasn't taken a day of vacation for ages. Within a very short time period she separately meets a stray dog and an ex-Navy Seal who both gradually change her life just like all the phases of the moon.
This book was a little bit heavier than I thought it would be. First of all, both Aila and Sam have had some pretty sad things happen to them in their life and neither one hasn't healed completely. Secondly, there was also some real hatred going on throughout the book towards Aila's dog and Sam because of their breed (the dog's) and Sam's religion. I was relieved when the author introduced Aila's lawyer into the mix to help lighten the mood. The book has quite the melting pot of characters in the book which helps prove the point that people from all walks of life can get along if only you have an open heart.
I'm not sure that I was completely satisfied with the ending. I would love to read a sequel where some of the loose ends are tied up a little bit tighter. Thanks to Kensington Books for an ARC of this book as part of a Kensington Books giveaway.

[Brittany Britton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow start. Couldn't put it down in the middle. Very weak ending. Seemed like the author couldn't figure out what story she wanted to tell. Too many plots.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was just an ok read. I liked the premise of the story, but there was too much divisive rhetoric throughout the story which ruined it, in my opinion.

[Dorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really compelling and powerful story about love, loss, prejudice, hatred, and the healing power of friendship. It's centered around Aila, a young widow living in a small coastal town on the edge of Cape Cod. Two years ago, her husband and father both died in a storm at sea, leaving her alone to manage the family store and care for her ailing mother, who is now living in a home with Alzheimers. Stricken with grief, Aila relies on familiarity and routine to make it through each day. Until one day, she finds an abandoned pit bull waiting outside her store and makes the reluctant decision to take him in, at least temporarily. 

Not long after, Aila is walking her dog along the beach when she stumbles upon Sam, an ex-Navy Seal, wrapped up in a blanket and sleeping on the pier. Sam is also reeling from a recent tragedy and the two of them become cautious friends, slowly helping each other heal from their painful pasts. But then a chance encounter leads to false accusations and before they know it, Aila and Sam are in the midst of a controversy pitting neighbor against neighbor in their small community.

I really enjoyed a lot of things about this book. It was heartwarming and charming with the perfect blend of humor and sincerity. The plot is well-developed and timely; parts of it felt like they could have been taken right out of today's headlines. However, despite addressing several heavy topics, the author somehow managed to keep it uplifting and cheerful.

On the negative side, I found the author’s prose to be fairly sophomoric, lacking the polished nuance of a more seasoned writer. I kept thinking of that ever popular writing commandment: “Show, don’t tell”. Rather than “showing” the readers what Aila or Sam were feeling, through descriptive text and context clues, the author spelled it out for us. She also used a lot of unnecessary repetition, repeating entire statements (explanations) almost word for word a little later on. I know it sounds petty, but for some reason the clunky writing style really stood out to me, even though I enjoyed the book as a whole. I actually looked to see if it was translated from a different language, as a possible explanation, but that wasn't the case. 

Overall, I enjoyed reading All the Phases of the Moon and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light-hearted and moving summer read. With a good editor and a little polishing, this book could have been transformed from something good to something really great. As it stands, I'm giving it 3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for free in exchange for my honest review.

BLOG: Dorie's Reading Corner

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The physical, emotional, and racial tensions were sometimes hard to digest. But the author did a great job of bringing them to your attention. You cared about how each person handled their situation ... and how the town dealt with the tensions and issues.

Aila was such a strong woman and it was painful to see her struggle with her emotional pain. But she was such a wonderful and caring person who didn't see color or race or religion...she simply saw the integrity of the person. Oh, if more people were like her!

Sam's struggles as an ex-Navy Seal was difficult. But I think the book really touched on the emotional as well as the physical issues that face vets. And then you add the fact that he is judged based on his religious beliefs. It just gets a rise out of you that people can be so shallow.

There were some really wonderful moments between the whale rescue to the town gathering around to support Aila to growing friendships and relationships. It was an emotional book but well worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young widow, a wounded Navy Seal, and a battered Pit Bull make up the heart of this novel. Set in a small coastal village on Cape Cod, where Aila, the widow, runs the towns general store; one that has been in her family for generations. As she opens the store one morning she sees a starving Pit Bull and feeling sorry for him she gives him some food, but doesn’t want to keep him. Then she meets Sam, the Ex Navy Seal who is as emotionally messed up as she is and she cautiously becomes his friend. As the 3 of them navigate the mine field of their hurtful pasts, they also have to deal with small town gossip, prejudice, and hostility that could destroy them or lead them to healing and forgiveness. A powerful story that could be taken out of today’s headlines, and is a microcosm of life in America today. 4 stars.

[Leah Unger · Rating 4 out of 5]

"And All the Phases of the Moon" is a very interesting book. It was filled with drama, drama, drama!

However, because of all the drama it kept me turning the pages to see what could possibly come next or how it would all end. It kept me wondering about "...all the phases of the moon" and how it would tie the story altogether in the end.

And then there is the dog...ah, yes! He could be in a book of his own. He is a cast away with the possibility of having an attitude. But because he is weak and sickly, people shy away from him. He becomes a loving companion and is dependable when nothing else matters.

This is a good clean read about life, death, love & relationships, town gossip, hate and bigotry! It is a book, I believe, we can all take away something to better our own lives; or at least, make one think about how we all live our daily lives and treat people in the process.

[Terri Wangard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aila’s father and husband died during a fishing trip two years before. She remains paralyzed in her grief. Sam lost a leg as a Navy Seal. He’s having trouble moving on. A wounded pit bull adopts Aila. Vincent’s acceptance in the town is hampered by his breed’s poor reputation.
A car salesman refused to sell Sam a truck because he’s Muslim. Then he claims Vincent bit him. Sam’s mother raises eyebrows because she wears a hajib. Amid all the hate, Aila and Sam grow close. The town rallies when a hate march is planned.
Despite the somber themes, there’s a lot of humor. My favorite: an elderly woman always insists on the freshest cherry Danishes. The server retorts, “Yes, ma’am, they’re so fresh, I had to smack them.”
An intriguing tale of finding your footing again when all seems lost.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young widow who has inherited her family's store finds herself in uncharted waters one summer. Aila is still struggling with the loss of both her husband and father from a storm at sea, her mother is in a nursing home, she is running the store with the help of her childhood friend and she recently found a stray pit bull in need of major help. Along the way she becomes acquainted with a military veteran who frequents the nearby pier and steadily grows to like him although still working through her sorrow.
This book tackles some social issues albeit at times the situations are a little too over the top. However, I did like how the book stayed more true to real life than most and the ending was done well.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells about many different people: a newly widowed young woman, an abused pit bull, a young married black woman, a crazy grandmother, a dangerously bigoted car salesman and a gravely injured former Navy Seal, and how their lives intertwine and relate to each other. Each phase they go through is symbolized by a phase of the moon. The story takes place on the tip of Cape Cod near Provincetown. I thought the book dragged a little in the middle and I was not thrilled with ending. I wanted it to be different probably because I am such a romantic but I don’t want to give anything away.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

p. 291 "The moon was above us, so full and joyous that its luminescence overflowed and encircled us in a golden halo, so filled with pure light, so full, so full, that it couldn't contain itself, and its enchantment escaped from it surface and spilled down across the bay and the sand to be magnified and mirrored... The night sky was filling with light from the radiant moon, this ever-present gift that was making the whole world glow with splendor and contentment and peace and such pure love that it would soon saturate the entire universe with eternal happiness."

[T-Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed something calm after reading a thriller so I chose this. It was pretty good - a lot of drama going on. Without giving anything away, as a father of 3 young daughters I was glad to see the main character stick to her guns when it came to persuasion to change. She kept an open mind and was willing to be flexible, but she expected the same in return and if that could not happen it should stop right there. In other words, I can accept who you are, but don't try to change me. I liked that.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

An abandoned pit bull brings Aila back to life after two years of grieving for her husband and father. They were lost at sea and she can't seem to move on. This is a story of friends who help each other accept themselves for what they are and to lend a helping hand and hug when needed. This is what she gets from old friend and ex-navy seal Sam. A sad, uplifting story of grief and acceptance. Not every life is rosy and fun but people learn to accept who and what they are and work toward their own idea of happiness. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Joy Landers · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting look at discrimination from a white persons point of view after befriending a US wounded vet who happens to be Muslim and raise in Jordan. also a good commentary on the fact that dogs are born to be loving, people pleasers. dogs only become aggressive if they have been trained to do so, or are abused

[Peggy Sinden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow when you let a stray dog into your life, it can be the beginning of a reopening of a cold heart and your life to possibilities around you that you may have thought were never to be found again. Losing a father and husband in a storm in the Bay and not being able to find those bodies,, left Aila alone and she was afraid to feel life as it past her by.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aila Cordeiro owns and runs The Galley, a local general store in Cape Cod where this story is set. One day on her way into work she finds a ragged, starving dog outside the store that needs her help so she adopts him and this act of kindness saves her from her devastating past. This was a quiet pleasant story and kept me entertained for a few days.

[Linda Shaughnessy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four star for my enjoyment. I think the writing is a little rough in places but I love the setting (no, I really, aside from the book, LOVE the setting) and the pluck and honesty, and the dog. And the Skipper and his wife. A good read.

[LenaRibka]

DNF at 49%

It could be a nice novel, I like the premise, the dog and the setting, but I don't like how it was done: I don't like the writing and the author' portrayal of characters at all.

***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a deeply moving book that was at times hilarious while at other times sad and unsettling. I liked the main character of Aila. She was damaged but never broken - a real inspiration. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable book. Lots of themes dealt with within the pages, but it all came together seamlessly. If there is a sequel to this book, I would read it!

[Marlene Bessette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about resilience, hope. Tragedies do break your heart, but time does heal it. I really enjoyed it

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, rather slow and I ended up skimming pages. There was nothing exciting or anything to look forward to so it was a bit of a boring story.

[Charlotte Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

This was a great read. I found it very thought provoking. My first time reading this author but won’t be my last.

[Ev · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book!