6.30.2019 - We Came Here to Forget

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Andrea Dunlop for the opportunity to read her latest novel - loved it!

Katie Cleary is at the top of the world - she as been a world-class skier since she was small.  As a teenager, she gets an opportunity to live and train with her two best friends, Luke and Blair, where the boys' wealthy father holds nothing back in training the three to be the best.  When Luke and Katie become a couple, it just solidifies their star factor.  But back home, Katie's older sister, Penny, is struggling - more than the family even realizes.  When everything crashes down, Katie's skiing career does as well.  Katie reinvents herself as Liz and escapes to Buenos Aires, and becomes immeshed in the tango world with a group of ex-pats who are all hiding from their own lives.

I loved the writing and the way this story was told - alternating chapters between Katie's past and Liz's present, until we know the complete story.  I raced through each chapter, wanting to get back to the other timeline each time.  Highly recommended!

6.29.2019 - Dear Wife

Many thanks to NetGalley, Park Row, and Kimberly Belle for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel - 5 stars for a fabulous, twisty read that you will not be able to put down!

Told from the point of view of 3 characters - Beth is on the run from an abusive husband; Jeffery returns home from a trip to find his wife, Sabine, missing and himself as the main suspect; and Marcus, the detective investigating Sabine's disappearance.  Are Beth and Sabine the same person?

There are wonderful characters in this book and you will never see all the twists coming.  Plus the ending was perfect!  Highly recommended for a great read!

6.28.2019 - The First Mistake

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Sandie Jones for the opportunity to read and review her latest domestic thriller - loved it!  I loved her first book, The Other Woman, and this book did not disappoint.  I couldn't put it down - so 5 stars for that!

Written from the perspectives of Alice and Beth - two best friends.  First is Alice - a successful designer/developer who started her own company after the sudden death of her husband, Tom.  When she meets Nathan, she gets a chance for a new start at happiness, even though she has lots of baggage carrying over from Tom's death.  But all of a sudden, Nathan is acting differently and Alice fears that he is being unfaithful.  She turns to Beth for help but is that the right thing to do?

Enough said - this is a twisty plot and I don't want to give any of the fun away.  This is definitely a book to pack in your summer beach bag!

6.27.2019 - The Great Unexpected

Many thanks to NetGalley, Park Row Books, and Dan Mooney for the opportunity to read his latest book - 4.5 stars!

This book seems like it could be depressing - Joel is in a nursing home where his wife died.  He's depressed, tired of everyone telling him what to do and feeling like a prisoner, so he has decided to kill himself.  Then he gets a new roommate, Frank, a retired soap opera star, whose flamboyant presence changes the nursing home atmosphere.  These two unlikely friends become lifelines for each other.  Along the way, they give life lessons to the other characters in this book as well as to the readers to keep the elderly's wishes in mind and to always treat them with respect.

A great read!

6.25.2019 - Evvie Drake Starts Over

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books and Linda Holmes for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel - I loved it.

Evvie Drake has finally gotten the courage to leave her husband, Tim, a beloved doctor in their small Maine town and her high school sweetheart.  As she is packing her car, she gets a call that Tim was in an accident.  When she gets to the hospital and finds out he has died, she is left feeling like a monster because she isn't sad.  Everyone thinks she is devastated by her grief when she can't leave her house or function normally.  Her best friend, Andy, does everything he can to help her through this. period, even though she doesn't fully share her feelings with him.  Andy is dealing with his own issues being a single parent to two young girls.  When Andy's friend, Dean, a major league baseball player who can no longer pitch needs a place to escape, he talks Evvie into renting Dean the apartment space in her house.

I just really loved these characters - each one felt so real to me.  Highly recommended - a wonderful book!

6.24.2019 - After the End

Many thanks to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Clare Mackintosh for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel.  I think I have told everyone I know that her novel, I Let You Go, remains one of my all-time favorite books.  This one will not disappoint - do not miss reading this book, no matter how difficult the subject matter may be.

An impossible situation - a happily married couple with a two-year-old son who develops brain cancer and has reached the end of treatment possibilities.  The story opens in the courtroom where it is up to a judge to choose whether the boy receives only palliative treatment or is allowed to travel to the US for proton beam treatment not available in the UK, because the parents can't come to an agreement.  The book veers into the path not taken glimpse into different futures.

Told from the viewpoints of the parents, Max & Pip, as well as from their doctor's, this book will tear at your heart.  Reading the author's note, the book is written from the heart.  No matter how heartbreaking the subject matter, the book is beautifully written and gives such hope and promise.

An absolute must read!

6.23.2019 - A Philosophy of Ruin

Thanks to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press, and Nicholas Mancusi for the opportunity to read and review his debut novel - a quick read that kept me glued to the pages.

Oscar is an assistant professor of philosophy, just scraping by in California, living a quiet life.  He gets a call from his father that Oscar's mother died on a return flight from Hawaii.  Oscar had no clue his parents were in Hawaii but that was just the first surprise from his dad.  His mother, who suffered from depression, had gotten involved with a cult-like guru and they were broke.  Oscar returns home after his mother's funeral and is lost, gets drunk, and has a one-night stand with Dawn.  That encounter leads him down a road of drug smuggling, blackmail and a life Oscar couldn't imagine.

A thrill ride of a book waiting to see how it will all end up, while bringing up philosophical thoughts about free will and destiny.  Looking forward to reading more from this author.

6.22.2019 - The Rumor

Thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Lesley Kara for the opportunity to read and review her debut novel - I could not put this book down!  I can't wait to read more from this author.

Rumors - so easy to spread and what harm they can cause.  Joanna is a single mom to Alfie and recently moved her son to be close to her mom because he was being bullied in school.  But Joanna and Alfie are still having trouble fitting in.  When Joanna lets slip a rumor that she heard to the other moms, she gains an in to the group, but at what cost.  The rumor is that a murderer of a small boy has been released and is living in their town under an assumed name.  Suddenly everyone is suspect.  Joanna becomes obsessed with the case as well.  Just how dangerous for everyone will this rumor become?

Just as in the book, everyone is suspect and I was glued to the pages to find out the answers - and was still blown away by the last page.  Great read!

6.20.2019 - The Last House Guest

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon Schuster, and Megan Miranda for the opportunity to read her latest thriller - a great read!

This book takes place in coastal Maine at a resort town that exists mostly for the vacationers who flock there during the summer.  The ones that stay all year are a different breed - mostly there to serve the other half.  Such is Avery - alone after her parents died in an accident and her grandmother passed away, she lives in the guesthouse of the Loman's, a rich family who owns many rental properties.  But she got the job through her friendship with Sadie Loman, who took her under her wing and encouraged her parents to hire her.  At the end of one summer season, during an annual party, Sadie is found dead.  Did she fall off the cliff on purpose, by accident, or was she pushed?   Everyone at the party, including Avery is considered a subject but when a suicide note is found, the case is dropped.  The next summer, Avery finds things aren't the same and finds herself still under suspicion, especially by Patrick, Sadie's brother.  And things just aren't the same in town.

This is a great mystery - told in Avery's voice the summer Sadie died and the following summer.  I loved the fast-paced storyline and I could picture the beautiful yet dangerous Maine coast.  Greet summer read!

6.19.2019 - Recursion

Many thanks to NetGalley, Crown Publishing, and Blake Crouch for the opportunity to read and review his latest novel - 5 mind-blowing stars!  When our boys were growing up, we watched a lot of Star Trek.  But every time there was an episode with time travel, my brain would hurt.  Well, this book made my brain hurt but in that so good way that only a Blake Crouch book can do!

Time is a fleeting thing - and memories?  How many of our memories are real?  This book takes those concepts to a whole new direction.  NYPD Detective Barry Sutton is investigating suicides that are resulting from a phenomena called False Memory Syndrome - where victims suddenly remember past experiences from a life that wasn't really theirs.  Neuroscientist Helena Smith's mother is suffering from Alzheimer's and she is desperate to create a way for her to keep her memories.  But at what cost?  Can we go back and change history then?

This is a sci-fi thriller that will make you think and question - what more could you want?  Highly recommended!

6.17.2019 - Those People

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Books, and Louise Candlish for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I'm sure everyone has had one of those neighbors.  The ones who just don't fit in.  Who don't play by the rules.  Such it was when Darren and Jodie moved into what was the perfect neighborhood.  The neighborhood that won awards for coming up with Play Out Sunday - where the street was blocked off and the kids played outside, no screens allowed.  But Darren and Jodie started selling cars from their house and didn't respect the street rules.  And they played heavy metal music really loud at all hours.  So who could blame the neighbors for wanting them gone?  But then someone dies.

Each of the neighbors has their own reasons and their own secrets.  Told in their different voices, complete with police interviews, this was a dishy read.  Until that ending!  It left me hanging and hoping for just one more page to wrap things up!  Is there another book following up?  Or am I just left to wonder...

6.16.2019 - Mrs. Everything

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jennifer Weiner for the opportunity to read and review her latest book.  You always know that you'll get a good read with this author - typically lighter fare.  Not so with this novel - this would be the perfect book club book because every topic affects women and there are going to be so many differing opinions on so many of these topics.  Plus it's a very nostalgic ride - 4.5 stars!

Jo and Bethie grew up in the 1950s in Detroit in a typical family home environment.  Jo was a tomboy and always clashed with her mother's ideal of the perfect lady.  Bethie fit that mold more and was interested in fashion, beauty and boys.  We follow the sisters through the decades as they grow and evolve into much different beings than they could have imagined.  And they are living through tumultuous times - the Vietnam War, women's rights, racial segregation, abortion, all the way up to the Me Too movement of today.

While you may not agree with the politics, all women can relate to the struggles faced in trying to be true to everyone's idea of the perfect woman and her place in the world.  Great read!

6.13.2019 - Natalie Tan's Book of Luck & Fortune

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Books, and Roselle Lim for the opportunity to read and review her wonderful debut novel - 4.5 stars for a feel good, magical read.

Natalie has been estranged from her mother for years.  Her mother was agoraphobic and wouldn't allow Natalie to pursue her dream of going to culinary school and becoming a chef, like her grandmother that died before she was born.  When Natalie returns home after her mother's death, she doesn't recognize the once vibrant neighborhood that she left.  However, she realizes that her grandmother's restaurant is now hers to reopen, with the help of her special cookbook.  She visits a neighborhood seer who says that she must first prepare 3 dishes from that cookbook to help 3 friends.  Natalie still resents the neighbors for not helping her mother more but presses on.  Unfortunately, while the recipes seem to help, things go very wrong.  Can she restore the restaurant, the neighborhood and the people in it?

This is just a good, fun read, made special by the inclusion of the recipes.  Well, the ARC didn't include quantities, just the ingredients themselves, or I'd be in the kitchen now making some of that food!  I loved the magical qualities that food possessed in this book, not unlike the role food plays in all of our lives and relationships.  Bravo for a great debut!

6.12.2019 - The Good Sister

Many thanks to NetGalley, GP Putnam's Sons, and Gillian McAllister for the opportunity to read her latest novel - loved it - 5 star read!

Martha and Becky are sisters and extremely close.  Martha has a difficult newborn baby who cries constantly and is trying to run a charity organization.  Becky has a young son, is separated from her husband, and is unhappy in her current work as a set designer.  They decide that Becky would be the perfect part-time nanny for eight-week-old Layla.  While in Greece for 2 days for her charity, Layla dies in Becky's custody.  Was it crib death, an accident or murder?

The story is wonderfully written and we learn what happens through various witness testimony in court.  Becky's parents and brother believe she is innocent but are also extremely sympathetic with Martha, who believes in Becky but is devastated and unsure.

This book brings out so many questions that would be wonderful to delve into in a book club - the stress of dealing with difficult newborns, the mother vs father working situation and how that's viewed in society, parental guilt.  Highly recommended!

6.10.2019 - Man of the Year

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Caroline Louise Walker for the opportunity to read her debut novel - great read and I can't wait to read more from this author!

Oh what a tangled web do we weave when first we practice to deceive!  That pretty much sums up this book but it's a delicious tale along the way.

Dr Robert Hart is indeed the Man of the Year, as he was voted in the upscale Sag Harbor community where he lives with his second wife.  He has a thriving practice, a beautiful home and boat and is the envy of all.  He's trying to get his relationship with Jonah, his son with his first wife, back on track after the marriage to his mother imploded.  Jonah was struggling at school and brings home a friend, Nick, to stay with him for the summer with his dad.  Nick has his own baggage - both parents deceased until tragic circumstances.  Dr Hart feels like he and Elizabeth are doing Nick a huge favor by letting him stay in their perfect world.  Until Robert starts feeling like there is something going on between Nick and Elizabeth.  He becomes paranoid and desperate.  And that's just the beginning of the troubles that lie ahead.

I devoured this book and got into these messy characters.  Wonderful writing and it all kept me guessing until the end - highly recommended!

6.8.2019 - The Friends We Keep

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley, and Jane Green for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel - thoroughly enjoyed this book of friendship through the years.

Told in 3 different time periods - The Beginning, The In-Between Years, and Present Day - the book follows 3 best friends - Evvie, Maggie and Topher - as they meet at university and come back together for their 30-year reunion.  Each of them struggles with their own secrets that they hide from each other and which prevent the close bond they swore would never end back in school.  At their reunion, they have a chance to restart their friendship when one of those secrets threatens it all.

I enjoyed immersing myself in these characters and their lives.  A story of friendship, secrets and second chances.  Great read!

6.6.2019 - You Then, Me Now

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Nick Alexander for the opportunity to read and review his latest novel.  This is a new-to-me author and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The title of the book explains the style of the writing - the "you then" part is the story of Laura in her youth, going on a vacation to a Greek island with a man she hardly new, and coming home pregnant.  The "me now" part is the story from her daughter, Becky's point of view as she struggles with not knowing anything about her father except that he died and the story is off limits to discussion.   When mother and daughter decide to go back to Greece for vacation, the past and present come together.

This was a very enjoyable read and the descriptions of the Greek island beauty make me want to go there now!  I definitely felt transported to a different time and place.

6.4.2019 - I'll Never Tell

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Catherine McKenzie for the opportunity to read her latest mystery - loved it!  4.5 stars for a book I couldn't put down and couldn't figure out who did it!

Five siblings get called back to the camp where they grew up for the reading of their parents' will.  The main stipulation in the will is that they must figure out what happened 20 years ago to Amanda at summer camp.  Each of the siblings, along with the caretaker, Sean, have secrets they are holding back from each other and themselves.  As they prepare for their parents' memorial, they try to solve the mystery of what happened that fateful night so that they can all move forward.

The book is told in 7 different viewpoints - Amanda, the 5 siblings, and Sean - and is complete with charts to help everyone figure out who was where on the night that Amanda was hurt.  I raced through this one and couldn't wait to find out how the mystery was solved.  This is a perfect read heading into summer camp season - it may make you think twice about that supposedly innocent time in many children's lives!

6.3.2019 - Mine

Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Courtney Cole for the opportunity to read this book - 4.5 stars for a good, quick read!

Tessa has the world by the tail, or so she things.  She's been happily married to Ethan for decades and they have 3 great children.  She has a beauty business she started and Ethan is a successful architect who designed their beautiful home in Florida.  As she drops off two of her children for their annual visit with their grandparents in Georgia and heads home, a hurricane is bearing down on her and Ethan is on a business trip in New York.  Little does she know that the hurricane will be the least of her problems.  When she discovers nude pictures from her husband's alleged mistress on his iPad, her fury matches the power of the hurricane.  And she becomes someone she never dreamed she could be.

Told from the viewpoints of Tessa in present time and Lindsay, the mistress, going back over the last year of their affair, this is a story of revenge.  However, once the storm passes, both women will never be the same.

This was a good read - we can probably all imagine how we would feel in this same situation.  But it's also a cautionary tale that we should never take our relationships for granted.

6.2.2019 - Into the Jungle

Many thanks to NetGalley, Scout Press, and Erica Ferencik for the opportunity to read and review this thriller - wow!  Nothing I've read lately has made me feel quite so grateful for living in a civilized world!

Lily Bushwold spent most of her life in foster and group homes, never having anyone truly care for her.  She jumped at the opportunity to teach English in Bolivia and scraped together the money to get there, only to find the job fell through.  She gets a job working at a hostel where she also lives with two friends she met there.  It was there that she met and fell in love with Omar, who grew up in a remote jungle village but left for the city life.  When his brother comes to tell him that a jaguar killed his young nephew, Omar knows he must go back to avenge his death.  He tells Lily she can come but that life will be extremely hard.  Nothing prepared her for any part of the journey or the arrival in his home village.  Lily must learn to take care of herself and survive in unbearable conditions.

Reading this reminds you of all the things we take for granted in our first-world lives - like running, clean water, medicine, food and washing machines.  This is a thrill ride of a book that will have you on the edge of your seat - 4.5 stars!

6.1.2019 - Ask Again, Yes

Many thanks to NetGalley, Scribner, and Mary Beth Keane for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel - I loved it!

Frances Gleeson and Brian Stanhope are two NYPD rookies, although not close friends.  A few years later, they find themselves next-door neighbors.  Both now married and with children, we learn that things go on behind closed doors that even neighbors aren't privy to.  Frances and Lena's youngest daughter, Kate, and Brian and Anne's son, Peter, become the best of friends.  However, one night when they are teenagers will change everything.  Years later find Kate and Peter reuniting and the majority of the book focuses on their relationship with each other and their families after the tragic night years ago caused a permanent rift.

Just a beautifully written novel about family, mental illness, forgiveness, loyalty and the past that shapes each of us.  I loved these characters and all their flaws.  A story that will stay with you after you turn the last page.  Highly recommended!