In Sara Read's new novel Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry, Johanna Porter, divorced soccer mom and part-time high school art teacher, receives an invitation to a gallery showing of her former lover and mentor Nestor Pinedo's works, which she promptly tosses in the trash. She wants nothing to do with Nestor or his business manager/daughter Pilar, who ruined her reputation as an artist years ago. We know things ended badly, but we don't yet know why.

Mel, Johanna's 17 year-old superstar soccer playing daughter, convinces her that she should get all dressed up and go, to show them she is doing great. Reluctantly Johanna goes to the gallery and sees a painting Nestor did of her years ago- and she steals it.

La Rosa Blanca is the famous painting and we later learn why Johanna is so upset to see it hanging in the gallery. She feels like that is a part of her hanging on the wall, when she was "fearless and fierce", and that part belongs to only her, not to Nestor or the world.

The theft becomes national news, and Johanna leaves town with the painting to hide out in her father's remote cabin. Seeing the painting and Nestor makes her realize everything she gave up twenty years ago, and she decides to stay at the cabin and rededicate herself to her art.

Pilar is hot on the trail of the stolen painting, and Johanna fears she will be discovered as the thief. Johanna's new neighbor is a handsome surgeon who is recovering from a severe hand injury that has left him unable to work. They slowly circle around each other, working towards a romantic relationship with some steamy scenes.

Johanna throws herself into her work, feeling alive again. Mel helps her mother by posting her works on Instagram and Johanna begins to build a following. But what will happen if she is outed as the thief?

This is the second book I have read that featured addiction as a storyline (the other is Susan Mallery's excellent The Sister Effect) and I found that part interesting. Johanna's story is one that may resonate with many women, and I liked her relationship with her daughter. Mel is a character that I recognize and admire in many young women today- strong, confident and independent. Pilar also turned out to be an intriguing character as well.

Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry is a good book for someone who is looking for a story about following your dreams, no matter how long ago you first had them.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on Sara Read's blog tour. ( )

Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry by Sara Read

Catalyst invitation accepted and art show attended instigate changes that see major changes in Johanna Porter’s life. How she will come out at the other end as her story progresses is well worth reading.

What I liked:
* Johanna: mother, art teacher, divorced, once an up and coming artist, stymied and boxed in for almost twenty years, rebirthing herself, coming into her own
* Mel: Johanna’s daughter, late teens, athlete, self-aware, supportive, integral to the story
* That this was not an easy read filled with sunshine and light but one that had me thinking, caring, and contemplating ‘what if’
* The changes and growth that occurred in Johanna as the story progressed
* That Johanna took time to look at and learn from her past while using it to create a better more real future for herself – she put the past in perspective
* The plot, pacing, and writing with flashbacks that explained Johanna’s backstory
* The love interest that could have been Mr. Perfect but instead was a rather brilliant but flawed human instead
* Johanna’s ability to, in the end, do what was best for herself and make it happen
* The growth in more than one character in the story and the inclusion of the reader in the process
* Reading a new-to-me author that I would read again

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Johanna’s mentor that proved to be more menace than lover
* The time Johanna lost before coming into her own and the reasons this happened

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )

Johanna has decided to face her past and go to this dang party. She received this invitation and it threw her for a loop. But, she puts on a second hand evening gown and she faces her former lover, Nestor Pinedo, the famous artist. The evening does not go as planned. Johanna derails and goes insane for a brief period of time. She steals the portrait of her young self that Nestor painted of her. She has no idea what came over her. But this has changed her thought process and she is bound and determined that he will not get this back!

I love, love, love Johanna. And I will let y’all in on a secret, this story does not match this cover. This is more serious than the cover looks and I enjoyed every minute of it! I expected more of a romantic comedy but that is not what this book is at all. This book covers a multitude of situations like parenting, theft, drug addiction, childhood trauma and a loss of dreams…just to name a few!

I love it when a book surprises me (probably why I don’t read the blurb!). And this one did. I was very much engrossed in Johanna’s life. And trust me…you will be too!

Need a really good escape…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. ( )