Family Jewels, Second Growth, October 2012

Michigander Elizabeth “Junior” Starreveld is fairly certain this is the worst year of her twenty-something life. Her girlfriend recently dumped her for her best friend, her longtime mentor is seriously ill, and her conservative Dutch-American family still struggles to accept her “chosen lifestyle.” When her father invites her on a business trip to the Netherlands, she suspects he plans to try to talk her into coming back to work at the family jewelry store–a return to the fold she has no intention of making.

Still, a free trip to Europe is surely worth a bit of drama, isn’t it? But as she and her father explore Amsterdam and get to know each other again over dark coffee and Belgian beer, Junior begins to question what she thought she knew about her family–and herself. Could this turn out to be a good year, though one of the hardest, after all?

READ THE OFFICIAL EXCERPT (PDF FORMAT).

Purchasing Options

Family Jewels is available in Kindle and paperback formats from Amazon. You can also purchase it in a variety of eBook formats (including ePub, PDF, and Kindle) from Bella Books and in paperback and Nook format from Barnes & Noble.

Reviews and Reader Comments for Family Jewels

Rainbow Reader, February 2013: Guest Reviewer Michelle Brooks wrote, “Kate Christie takes her time developing the main characters in Family Jewels. While Junior’s character develops throughout the book, Kate does an admirable job by quickly inviting the reader into her world in such a way the reader can relate to her and her growing pains… [A]spects of Junior’s character are revealed from the beginning, [but] her father’s character develops more slowly… As the story progresses, the author skillfully allows this character to become more multi-dimensional, allowing the reader to gain a deeper understanding of, and empathy for, his character. Family Jewels is more than a simple story about the relationship we have, or think we have with a family member. It is a story about how our perception impacts not only how we choose to interact with that individual, but how it often serves as a reflection of how we perceive ourselves.”
Affinity eBooks Reviews, October 2012: Reviewer Terry Baker had this to say: “Anyone looking for a straight forward lesbian romance won’t find it here. What you will find is an extremely well-written book, which is rich in history and the dynamics of family relationships when one of the family is a lesbian… This book left me with a sense of well being. It’s always an added bonus for me when I’ve totally lost myself in the places with the characters an author describes. I look forward to Kate Christie’s next book eagerly.”
Reader comment, 12/20/12: “Family Jewels is one of those novels that will stay with you for weeks, months, and probably years after finishing it… Kate Christie takes us on an incredibly moving journey as Junior learns what family means, how love comes in so many forms, and that everyone isn’t always what they appear to be… Throughout, I laughed, cried, cussed, and encouraged Junior as she learned how to grow up and accept the challenge that life wants to offer her. Every aspect of the story was perfectly matched creating touching relationships between Junior and the supporting cast… This book is beautifully written and Kate Christie shows herself to be an incredibly talented storyteller for our time. I highly recommend it as a must-read for all.”
Reader comment, 11/24/12: “This is a wonderful, multi-layered insightful story that slowly blossoms… No romance here, but a wonderful study of people, of history, of finding yourself, of love and loss and of the power of family. Very well written too and I loved the description of Europe, Amsterdam: A yankee in the old world as well as the insights in Dutch midwesterners!”
Reader comment, 8/17/12: “This was a book you could climb into and travel with the main character Elizabeth… The other characters are equally as lovable and you get to know ol’ Fitzy personally. I felt as if I had known the people all my life. It was a beautifully written story not to be missed. Enjoy.”