5.30.2021 - The Forever Home

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Sue Watson - one of my go-to authors!  4 stars for another fast-paced thriller.

To the rest of the world, Mark and Carly are the perfect couple.  They are the hosts of a television show called The Forever Home, which began when they started rehabbing the cliffside home where Carly grew up.  Even though the ideas behind the show were Carly's, she was happy to stay home and raise their two children and let Mark be the face of the show.  But when Mark leaves her on the night of their 25th wedding anniversary party, all the secrets in their perfect life threaten to rear their ugly faces.  When threats to Carly start showing up at her home, she rightly doesn't know who she can trust.

I love fast-paced thrillers with short chapters and lots of unreliable characters that leave you guessing.  This one had an ending that I never suspected but loved!  Another example of not believing what you see on social media because we never know what's going on behind closed doors.  Sue Watson always delivers - don't miss this one!

5.28.2021 - Girl One

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for gifting me a digital ARC of this intriguing book by Sara Flannery Murphy - 4 stars!

In 1971, Dr Bellanger "created" the first baby born without male DNA when Girl One, Josephine, was born at a remote commune called "The Homestead."  Nine girls in total were created that were perfect clones of their mothers.  But when a fire hit The Homestead and Dr Bellanger and one of the Girls died, his research died with him and all members spread out to live their own lives.  In 1994, Josephine is now in medical school in Chicago, trying to follow in her father's footsteps and recreate his research.  Then, there is another suspicious fire that destroys Josephine's mother's home and her mother, Margaret, is now missing.  With the held of a journalist, Josephine sets out on a cross-country mission to find her long-lost "sisters" and mother.

This is a well-crafted science fiction thriller with lots of interesting topics - cloning, control, sexism.  I loved that it was set in interesting time periods - in the 1970s when test-tube babies were first conceived and then in the 1990s, before cellphones, which always makes these types of thrillers more interesting.  I really enjoyed the "sisterhood" that developed and the relationships between the mothers and daughters.  I felt it was a little slow in the first half but I was fully invested in the second half and couldn't put it down!

5.26.2021 - Talk Bookish to Me

Many thanks to NetGalley and Graydon Books for gifting me a copy of the debut romance novel by Kate Bromley - 4.5 stars!

Kara Sullivan is a romance book writer, the deadline is looming on her next book and she is totally stuck on even getting started on an idea.  Her best friend's wedding is coming up and Kara is in full maid-of-honor mode.  However, when Kara's ex-boyfriend from college shows up at the pre-wedding party, just being around him sparks her into writing mode.  Those aren't the only sparks that are flying between Kara and Ryan but both are holding back secrets that will threaten their second chance at happily ever after.

I really enjoyed this book - how could you not with a title like that?  And the fact that not only is Kara a writer but she's a bookstagrammer!  Add Italy into the mix and instant swoon!  There are great characters here besides Kara and Ryan, headlined by Duke, but also Kara's friends.  Along with the romance in this book, there's much to ponder about grief, loyalty, family, second chances.  Wonderful debut - can't wait to read more from this author.

5.25.2021 - Revival Season

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of this amazing debut novel by Monica West - 5 stars!  

iriam has grown up in Texas in a home dominated by her Baptist preacher father.  Every summer, the entire family gets in their old car and travels around the south leading revivals and healing services to thousands.  But one summer, Miriam witnesses her father acting brutally toward another man and her whole opinion and faith in her father starts to slip.  As her father's reputation and shine start to diminish in others' eyes, Miriam herself believes that she may have the gift to heal others, which because she is a woman is considered a sin according to her father and the church.

This is a gorgeously-written coming-of-age novel with so many layers.  Miriam questions her family, her faith and herself as she is forced to look deeper into her family and church relationships.  This is a very troubled family made more destructive when the outside world stresses take their toll, combined with the inherent sexism of the deep rooted Southern Baptist traditions.  There are wonderful characters in this book, especially Miriam, who holds to her faith but also her own mind of what is right and wrong.  The ending left much to discover about Miriam and I can only hope that this author has book two in the works!  Highly recommended - amazing debut!

5.23.2021 - You Will Remember Me

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mira Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Hannah Mary McKinnon - 4.5 stars for a tense read with quite the ending!

A man wakes up on a beach in Maryland with a gash in his head and no memory of who he is and how he got there.  Flashes come back and he remembers his hometown in Maine so he makes his way there.  Meanwhile, Lily is at home waiting for her boyfriend, Jack, to come back from a swim.  When his truck is found near the beach with no sign of Jack, she is sick with worry.  When she finds out Jack has been lying to her, she's on a mission to find him and understand.  In Maine, Myra has been searching for her stepbrother, Asher, for years with no luck.  When he shows up suffering from amnesia, Myra will do anything to keep him close to her this time.

Told from the points of view of these three characters, this is a book that is hard to put down.  You may figure out some things but there is no way you will figure out the ending until you turn the last page.  Everyone has secrets and ulterior motives - you will love to hate these characters!  

5.22.2021 - The Guncle

Many thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by one of my go-to authors, Steven Rowley.  If you haven't read his other books, you need to, but don't miss this one!  5 stars.

Patrick had a hit TV show in the past but after losing the love of his life, he escaped to Palm Springs and lived a very solitary life.  When his sister-in-law dies and his brother has a health issue, Patrick is charged with taking care of his niece and nephew, Maisie and Grant, for the summer.  Suddenly, GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) has full responsibility of not only keeping the kids alive but helping them navigate their grief while still processing his own.

This book is hilarious - I loved the Guncle Rules!  Each of these characters is so real and you will fall in love with all of them.  Underneath this book filled with so much heart is a story of grief, love, family and moving forward.    Highly recommended!

5.20.2021 - Malibu Rising

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review the latest book by one of my favorites, Taylor Jenkins Reid.  4.5 stars rounded up!

The main storyline of this book takes place over 24 hours in Malibu, California, in August 1983.  It's the day of the big Rivas party - an annual event with no invitations.  If you know the address, you're invited.  And all the celebrities show up.  The home is owned by Nina Riva, the oldest daughter of rock legend, Mick Riva.  Nina is a swimsuit model married to a tennis superstar who just left her for another woman.  But the party must go on.  Nina's siblings are there, of course - Jay, Hud and Kit. In alternating chapters, we learn the backstory of this family and their parents, Mick and June.

I loved losing myself in this story.  It's beautifully written and I loved following these siblings as they figured out their lives.  The story boils down to what makes a family, what we do for those we love, and what we choose to keep or discard from the baggage handed down to us.  In Jenkins Reid's very capable hands, this story will take you back in time yet leave you with very resonant life lessons.  Highly recommended!

5.19.2021 - The Invisible Husband of Frick Island

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting me a digital copy of the newest book by Colleen Oakley - 4.5 stars rounded up for a book that just made me happy!

Frick Island is tiny and is threatened by rising sea levels attributed to global warning.  But for the people who live there, it is the only place on earth.  So when Anders, a young journalist with hopes of making his podcast a hit, arrives on the island to cover a story for his local newspaper, they aren't very open to him.  However, he can't help but notice something very strange on the island - Piper Parrish, whose husband Tom was lost at sea in a storm and declared dead, still talks to Tom and acts like nothing has changed.  She still follows their same routine and talks to him like he's next to her.  The town has gone along with it, much to Anders' bewilderment.  As Anders becomes more engrained in island life while starting a podcast about Piper's invisible husband without her consent, secrets are bound to come out.

In alternating chapters with the present time, we learn the background of Tom and Piper's relationship.  This was just a perfect book in which to lose yourself.  I loved these characters - from the nosy neighbors to the salty ferry boat operator to Piper and Anders.  But beneath that, it's also a story about grief, loss, hope and moving on and how much small towns look out for their own.  I really liked the two worlds - Anders trying to make it as a journalist, Piper on the island and how those two worlds meld.  Highly recommended for a great summer read!

5.17.2021 - The Atmospherians

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of this book by Alex McElroy - 3.5 stars.

Sasha was a social media influencer and founder of a women's wellness company when contact with a troll led her to be despised by men and left with nothing.  Her childhood friend, Dyson, has a plan to start a men's rehabilitation community (cult) and wants Sasha to run it with him to restore her image.  The program actually tries to cure men of their toxic masculinity and restore them to a new way of life.  Of course, neither Dylan or Sasha has any clue what they are doing!

This was a well-written, satirical look at lots of current topics - gender roles, social media, tech and wellness companies.  There were parts - the lists! - that made me actually laugh out loud!  But I wasn't probably the best fit with this book - I never really gelled with the characters or plot.  But don't let that stop you from picking up this intriguing read!

5.16.2021 - Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty

 Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest novel by Lauren Weisberger - 4.5 stars rounded up for a ripped from the headlines book about privilege but centering on relationships.

Peyton has it all - a popular morning news anchor, happily married to Isaac, and their daughter Max ready to head off to Princeton.  Until it all comes crashing down when she sees her husband being removed from their apartment in handcuffs, charged with bribing Princeton to accept Max.  Max never even wanted to go to Princeton - she had hopes of going to a film school.  Peyton's sister, Skye, is living in Paradise and is the mom to adopted daughter, Aurora, and married to Gabe.  Skye is now an uber-volunteer at Aurora's school but struggles with all the moms set on perfection for themselves and their children.  Skye is focused on helping underprivileged girls and has started a charity to open a house in town so they can attend the good schools.  But Skye has secrets of her own that she is keeping from everyone that threaten to dismantle her world as well.

I love Weisberger's writing and this book is no exception.  I loved the three strong women characters of Peyton, Skye and Max, even when you might be screaming at them to do the right thing.  The best part is their relationship - even when things go wrong, at heart they are there for each other.  Lots of parenting and life lessons in this one.

5.15.2021 - The Hunting Wives

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of this book by May Cobb - 4.5 stars for a wild read!

Sophie and her husband, Gabriel, have just moved from Chicago to a small town in Texas where Sophie lived for a period during her high school years.  Tired of the rat race of the big city, Sophie was looking forward to a more relaxed, simple life with plenty of time to spend with their young son, Jack.  That's exactly what she got except she is now so very bored.  When she meets the "it" woman in town, Margot, and is invited to a select group's secret hunting night, she is excited and intrigued.  But Sophie soon finds herself even more obsessed with Margot and doing things she never dreamed she would.  When a teenage girl is found dead on the property where they meet, everything changes.

This was definitely a mean girls group fueled with incredible amounts of alcohol and I was screaming to Sophie the entire time to just go home to her husband and Jack!  But then we would all miss out on reading this deliciously fun book.  The ending totally surprised me and this book kept me glued to the pages.

5.14.2021 - The Summer Job

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut adult novel by Lizzy Dent - 4 stars for a light, humorous, fun summer read!

Birdy lives in London but is out of job prospects and a place to live.  Her best friend, Heather, is off to Italy on a hopefully romantic adventure with her boyfriend.  Heather, a sommelier, had accepted a summer job at a run-down Scottish inn and tasked Birdy with canceling for her.  Birdy forgot and suddenly she decided to go to Scotland and pretend to be Heather for the summer.  How hard could it be?  However, when she gets there, she discovers that it is a Michelin starred hotel/restaurant with high expectations for its new sommelier.  

You will laugh out loud as Birdy attempts to fill her job requirements when she really knows nothing about wine.  The best part of this book is the camaraderie that the hotel staff shows as they all come together for the common goal of making the restaurant work.  Full of good food and drink, smiles, love, laughter - all those things that make up life, friendship and family in all kinds of ways.  A great summer read!

5.11.2021 - A Summer to Remember

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for gifting me a digital ARC of the novel by Erika Montgomery - 4 stars for a wonderful debut!

Frankie owns a movie memorabilia shop in Hollywood that she opened with her now-deceased mother, Maeve.  It was always just the two of them and Frankie is a bit lost without her mom.  She receives a package with a photograph of her mom years ago with two movie stars at a Cape Cod film festival, along with two sealed letters.  Frankie investigates and then tries to return the letters to their owners, but decides that a trip to Cape Cod might lead her to find out more about her mom and hopefully learn the identity of her father.  

This is a wonderful story, told in both present time and in the past, about memories and collections and how they tie us to the past and the people we loved.  It's also about loyalty and family, however that looks, and making our peace with the past.  Each chapter opened with a movie quote which was one of my favorite things about this book - this is also a love letter to the impact that movies have on our lives.  I thoroughly enjoyed this escape to Cape Cod and into the movies and am looking forward to more from this author.

5.9.2021 - People We Meet on Vacation

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the sophomore book by Emily Henry.  5 stars for this book and a crown for the new queen of the romantic comedy!

Alex and Poppy met the first day of college as complete opposites.  Their friendship bloomed on a shared car ride home to their hometown in Ohio.  They discovered that their opposite personalities just fit each other to make that one perfect friend you can't live without.  The friendship bloomed over their summer vacation each year - a trip that was part of Poppy's job at a travel magazine and fit perfectly with Alex's summers off teaching job.  But one mistake on a vacation caused everything to go wrong in their friendship.  Poppy is struggling with her job, her purpose, her life and is convinced that everything will be okay if she gets Alex to go on one more vacation with her.

Told in Poppy's voice from their current summer trip to past vacations, you will fall in love with these characters.  This is just such a fun book - I loved the witty bantering between Alex and Poppy and you will feel like you've been on vacation yourself after vicariously visiting all these locations.  This is a must read - in fact, once you are done with it, you'll want to escape into it again!  Highly recommended!  

5.7.2021 - The Plot

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for gifting me a digital copy of the latest novel by Jean Haniff Korelitz - 4.5 stars rounded up for a fascinating look into the writer's world.

Jake Finch Bonner had his first book published to a promising beginning; his second went nowhere.  Trying to keep afloat financially, he is back at his summer job teaching a MFA course at a third-rate institution.  One of his students, Evan Parker, swears he has the perfect plot of a book he is writing that is guaranteed to be a publishing star; however, he isn't willing to share his writing with the other students.  Until their one meeting where Evan shares his plot.  After the course is over, life goes on with Jake being forced to leave NYC for upstate NY working at yet another teaching job and trying to write.  He stumbles upon news that Evan Parker died not long after their meeting and never published his book.  The perfect plot is just there waiting to be written.  So Jake writes it and becomes the famous writer he could only have dreamed about.  Until someone starts sending Jake messages saying he knows that Jake stole the book.

It took me a bit to get into this book but then I couldn't put it down.  Intermixed with Jake's story, we get to read parts of the novel that he wrote, Crib.  It's a great mystery book as Jake tries to figure out who is sending him these messages.  It's also a book about writing, writers and books!  Very well written - this one deserves the buzz it's getting.

5.6.2021 - That Summer

 

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Jennifer Weiner - 4.5 stars rounded up for a book that is much more than a beach read.

Daisy is married to Hal, a wealthy lawyer, and mother to teenage non-conformist, Beatrice, and they are living in a suburb of Philadelphia.  Although Daisy has a business teaching people how to cook, she has begun to feel dissatisfied with her life and the way she is being treated by her husband as someone there just to keep things going in the household.  She begins receiving emails addressed to another Diana S (her real name) - this Diana seems to have a much more fulfilling and exciting life.  The two decide to meet and become friends.  However, her new friend might not be telling her the whole truth.

I loved this book - besides the wonderful setting of Cape Cod, these are real characters with real, deep, painful emotions.  Told in the voices of both Diana and Daisy, along with Beatrice, this is a story of coming to grips with the past and how it changes how we see ourselves, as well as how others see us.  This is a #MeToo story but really makes you think about how we've let boys be boys and how our daughters may absorb all that.  This is Jennifer Weiner at her best - giving us a story that transports us to summer but makes us really think about some tough issues.

5.4.2021 - Don't Make Me Turn This Life Around

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Camille Pagan - 4.5 stars for an emotional read!

Libby just got the news that she is cancer free and her 10-year remission anniversary is coming up.  So why isn't she ecstatic?  A normally optimistic person, Libby has dealt with her cancer, the death of her dad and her daughter's medical issues by putting a positive spin on everything.  Now her husband, Shiloh, is uncharacteristically distant and Libby fears the worst.  Trying to get herself and her life back on track, Libby books a last-minute vacation to the Puerto Rican island where she and Shiloh fell in love.  However, nothing is going according to plan.

These characters and situations feel very real, even if you are not on an island vacation.  Every person has to deal with issues in their lives and how we handle them makes all the difference.  Libby was used to shoving everything deep inside and putting a smile on her face but emotions don't stay hidden forever.  There were great family and sibling dynamics in this book and I felt like every character figured things out and improved themselves by the end.  Great read!

5.3.2021 - The Bookshop of Second Chances

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books/Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Jackie Fraser.  4 stars for a feel-good read!

Thea just had the proverbial rug pulled out from underneath her - her husband of almost 20 years left her for one of her friends and she just lost her job.  Then she finds out that a distant uncle died and left her his home and antique book collection in Scotland.  She packs her bags and heads to the coast to go through the house and make some decisions on what to do with her life.  Once there, she finds she loves the area and the people and finds herself making new friends. and even gets a job at the local secondhand bookstore - however, she can't quite win over Edward, the owner, who definitely comes with his own baggage.

This was just a good book to curl up with and escape into a different world.  I loved the pictures in my mind of the bookstore and the Shed - so cozy and comforting.  I also liked that the author made Thea a bit older than the typical rom-com character - she's in her mid-40s with all the insecurities and baggage that come along with starting over at that age.  Plus, everyone deserves a second chance!  Can't wait to read more from this author!

5.1.2021 - It Had To Be You

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital ARC of the rom-com by Georgia Clark - 4 stars for a book guaranteed to make you both laugh and cry!

Liv owns In Love in New York - a wedding planning company - with her husband, Eliot.  When Eliot unexpectedly dies, she learns that he had been having an affair with Savannah, a young woman in Kentucky.  The biggest surprise was that he left half ownership in the company to Savannah, who moved to NYC ready to join Liv in the company, much to Liv's surprise.  This is also an ensemble cast of characters circling back to Liv, each dealing with their own love story issues.

This was just a fun, sweet look into modern love complete with likable characters and I really enjoyed it.  My only slight complaint is that every type of couple is represented here - gay, lesbian, biracial, widow - it just seemed a bit much to add all those issues in such a small group of interrelated friends.  However, it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the book - plus there are definitely lessons to be learned here about judging, racism, sexism.