California Blues: The Prequel to Dakota Blues

Karen Grace Series

By: Lynne M. Spreen

Narrated by: Jennifer Jill Araya

Middle age hits hard for Karen Grace. She’s spent her entire career working for one corporation, an increasingly soul-sucking health insurance company in southern California. Nearing the big five-oh, Karen's marriage is foundering, and her mother’s health is declining. All she has left is her work family, the employees she’s mentored and nurtured over the years. When a young corporate gunslinger arrives, determined to fire them all and shut down the Newport Beach office, Karen goes to war.

California Blues is the novella-length prequel to the empowering, uplifting Karen Grace/Blues series.

©2018 Lynne M. Spreen (P)2018 Lynne M. Spreen

What great prequel to this series!

I won this book on Facebook in a giveaway! I enjoyed the storyline and can’t wait for the next book in the series. This is a great short read that is a must.
The narrator in this book is new to me but does an excellent job with reading the story.

Great Story about Women in the Corporate World

I don’t know much about the challenges women face in the corporate world, and this book gave me a real education about the young sharks that middle aged women face just trying to maintain their standings and keep their jobs. I enjoyed this story as told by Karen Grace, a middle aged woman in the insurance industry. After a series of miscarriages have strained their relationship, Karen’s husband has left her for a younger woman. Her mother’s health is failing, and the company for which she works wants to cut costs by laying off hundreds of her staff and possibly closing her office. Karen wishes she could go see her mother, but she must get the kinks out of her software program which can save her company enough money to save the jobs of her beloved staff.

This book was well written and makes the reader want to continue the series in order to find out what Karen will do next.

An Introduction To The Protagonist

This was my first experience with this author's work, and the story was entertaining. I liked the in-depth introduction to Karen Grace as the story has related just how intelligent and caring Karen was to her employees and the people that she has mentored over the years. I appreciated that Karen wasn't perfect and that she has made mistakes in her life as well as having personal hardships which she carried within herself. I'm looking forward to more stories featuring this character. I thought Jennifer Jill Araya's narration was fine. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

A heartfelt journey of resilience & strength

I really enjoyed this short story that beautifully sets the stage for the series. I listened to the audio version, and the author did an amazing job bringing Karen’s journey to life. It offers an inspiring glimpse into Karen’s world, and I’m excited to learn more about her story.

Karen Grace is a relatable, middle-aged executive whose world is unraveling, her career is at risk, her marriage is crumbling, and her mother’s health is declining. Yet through these hardships, Karen finds unexpected strength and support from her work family. As she faces corporate betrayals and personal loss, her resilience shines through.

This is an empowering story of grief, renewal, and rediscovering one’s power. It’s a touching reminder that even when everything seems to fall apart, it can be the beginning of something new and stronger. I can’t wait to dive deeper into Karen’s story in the series ahead!

Working with gRACE

I cannot wait to dive into the next book. I can't wait to find out what happens between Renia and Karen. I hope she finds her HEA. I want to know about the App. I enjoyed this author. She is new to me. The narrator was so great. She is also new to me.