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Published on Leave a comment on The Newcomer
The Newcomer Book Cover The Newcomer
Mary Kay Andrews
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
May 4, 2021
Advance reader copy
448
Free from publisher

In trouble and on the run...

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister’s warnings: “If anything bad happens to me—it’s Evan. Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.”

With a trunkful of emotional baggage...

So Letty grabs her sister’s Mercedes and hits the road with her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a “go-bag” of cash and a big honking diamond ring—but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island. She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

The No Vacancy sign is flashing & the sharks are circling...

And that’s the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn—or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past.

My review:

What a fun read! This book had a little bit of everything within its pages. At its core is the mystery of who, how and why was Letty's sister killed? However at the heart was the wonderful cast of characters who Letty ends up sharing a temporary home with at the Murmuring Surf Motel. Don't let the length of this one intimidate, it was very fast paced and didn't feel daunting or sluggish at all. As always with Mary Kay Andrews, her characters are lovable, witty, and get themselves into all sorts of situations. If you've been here for a while you know how I usually feel about contrived romances in my books, but I have to say that I enjoyed this one. I found all the characters endearing and memorable, as well as the setting and satisfying conclusion.

Honestly, if you've read this author before, you know I don't have to say much to convince you that this is going to be an enjoyable ride. Lots of moving parts to satisfy most every reader, whether you like mystery, personal growth, familial relationships, or romance. Definitely one to consider for the beach/pool bag this summer.

Published on Leave a comment on The Woman With the Blue Star
The Woman with the Blue Star Book Cover The Woman with the Blue Star
Pam Jenoff
Historical Fiction
Park Row Books
May 4, 2021
Advance readers copy
352
Free from publisher

1942. Sadie Gault is eighteen and living with her parents amid the horrors of the Kraków Ghetto during World War II. When the Nazis liquidate the ghetto, Sadie and her pregnant mother are forced to seek refuge in the perilous sewers beneath the city. One day Sadie looks up through a grate and sees a girl about her own age buying flowers.

Ella Stepanek is an affluent Polish girl living a life of relative ease with her stepmother, who has developed close alliances with the occupying Germans. Scorned by her friends and longing for her fiancé, who has gone off to war, Ella wanders Kraków restlessly. While on an errand in the market, she catches a glimpse of something moving beneath a grate in the street. Upon closer inspection, she realizes it’s a girl hiding.

Ella begins to aid Sadie and the two become close, but as the dangers of the war worsen, their lives are set on a collision course that will test them in the face of overwhelming odds. Inspired by harrowing true stories, The Woman with the Blue Star is an emotional testament to the power of friendship and the extraordinary strength of the human will to survive.

My review:

3.5 stars

Despite the plethora of World War II stories out in the world, this one did have something different that I hadn't encountered before. This is a historical fiction account of two Jewish families who lived within the sewer system of their city in order to escape almost certain deportment to concentration camps. The very idea of this was fascinating, but made for some extremely tense moments during reading. The ever present danger of being discovered was of course the main focus, but when the sewer starts to flood from excessive rain, I was on the edge of my seat! I loved the explorations that the younger members of the families made to find different avenues to navigate underneath the city, but also to map out a way to escape if necessary. The story mainly focuses on two young women, one who lives in the sewer, and the other who discovers her there beneath a grate, and tries to help her. I was really enjoying this one, until the obligatory romances had to come into play. Ugh, just not my thing, and a great way to bring a bit of my enthusiasm down 🙁 Nevertheless, I did really enjoy the tension packed ending, and the epilogue was absolutely lovely! The writing in this one was straight forward and I never felt that the story dragged. The friendship that develops between Sadie and Ella was poignant and very believable.

As with most World War II novels, I always learn something new, and this one was no exception. While I could have done without the romance, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story and would definitely recommend, especially for fans of WWII historical fiction and stories about unlikely friendships.

Published on Leave a comment on Good Company
Good Company Book Cover Good Company
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
Fiction
Ecco
April 6, 2021
Hardcover
320
Purchased

Flora Mancini has been happily married for more than twenty years. But everything she thought she knew about herself, her marriage, and her relationship with her best friend, Margot, is upended when she stumbles upon an envelope containing her husband’s wedding ring—the one he claimed he lost one summer when their daughter, Ruby, was five.

Flora and Julian struggled for years, scraping together just enough acting work to raise Ruby in Manhattan and keep Julian’s small theater company—Good Company—afloat. A move to Los Angeles brought their first real career successes, a chance to breathe easier, and a reunion with Margot, now a bona fide television star. But has their new life been built on lies? What happened that summer all those years ago? And what happens now?

With Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s signature tenderness, humor, and insight, Good Company tells a bighearted story of the lifelong relationships that both wound and heal us.

My review:

This author's first book The Nest was a huge favorite of mine, so I was excited to delve into her sophomore novel. It had a lot of the same qualities as the first, such as a great cast of characters who were not always lovable, but it was also different enough to stand on its own. I really enjoyed that this was partially set in the theater world, specifically the local summer theater group in small towns. The story traverses the country from New York City to Los Angeles, with one of the main characters being an actress on a tv series, while another is a voice over actress for commercials. It was also a study of marriage, parenting, and friendship, following two couples and the daughter of one. The four adults have known each other since college, so there is a lot of history that comes into play. This is not a book with a ton of action, so if you are not a reader who appreciates characters who come with baggage and flaws, you may not enjoy it as much as I did. I thought the characters were written to be very real, and the dilemmas they faced were believable and made me pause to think how I would react in the same situations. Trigger warning if you are not a fan of cheating, that is one of the main plot points. The end had good resolution and was satisfying.

Definitely one I would recommend, particularly if you like books with more character study than plot. While I wouldn't say I liked it as much as The Nest, it will keep me coming back for more from this author.

Published on Leave a comment on The Happiest Girl in the World






The Happiest Girl in the World Book Cover




The Happiest Girl in the World





Alena Dillon




Fiction




William Morrow Paperbacks




April 20, 2021




Advanced reader copy




384




Free from publisher



For Sera Wheeler, the Olympics is the reason for everything. It’s why she trains thirty hours a week, starves herself to under 100 pounds, and pops Advil like Tic Tacs.

For her mother, Charlene, hungry for glory she never had, it’s why she rises before dawn to drive Sera to practice in a different state, and why the family scrimps, saves, and fractures. It’s why, when Sera’s best friend reports the gymnastics doctor to the authority who selects the Olympic Team, Sera denies what she knows about his treatments, thus preserving favor.

Their friendship shatters. But Sera protected her dream—didn’t she?

Sera doubles down, taping broken toes, numbing torn muscles, and pouring her family’s resources into the sport. Soon she isn’t training for the love of gymnastics. She’s training to make her disloyalty worthwhile. No matter the cost.

The Happiest Girl in the World explores the dark history behind an athlete who stands on the world stage, biting gold. It's about the silence required of the exceptional, a tarnished friendship, and the sacrifices a parent will make for a child, even as a family is torn apart. It’s about the price of greatness.

My review:

When I heard this author had a new book coming, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Much as she did in Mercy House, the author tackles subjects that have been newsworthy, and spins a fictional story around them. In this book, the subject is the sexual abuse scandal of the Team USA gymnastics doctor, prevalent in the news in early 2018. Not only do we read about the scandal, but we also get a close up glimpse of just what these athletes go through on a day to day basis, the ones who make it to the world stage, and those whose dreams are crushed before they ever get there. As a Mom of a daughter who spent years of her life as a competitive cheerleader, I could relate to many parts of this book (although thankfully not the grittier aspects). The endless practices, the money for competitions and traveling to out of state events, and yes, the overall rush of pride and happiness when her team came away with a win! Ultimately, a recurring knee injury had our family putting the breaks on her continuing in the sport, but the girls in this story power through injury after injury, practice after practice, in order to get the ultimate prize.......an Olympic berth. While we mostly follow one fictional girl and her family, I loved how the author kept it real with mentioning the actual Olympians, along with the correct timelines surrounding qualifiers, and Olympic events. The effect this has on the family is well documented, especially when in this case, one parent is more on board than the other. We even get the pandemic thrown in when those waiting to go to the 2020 Olympics find out they are put on hold! Having some armchair knowledge of gymnastics events would probably be helpful going into this book, but for the casual viewer of only Olympic events, you'll do just fine.

If you have never had any experience with sports at an elite level, or even if you have, I think this book will shock you in its boldness to tell it like it is in competitive sport such as gymnastics. It really exposes the lengths athletes go to in attempting to achieve the ultimate dream of winning. And when that dream is fulfilled, are they really the happiest girl in the world?

2

Published on 2 Comments on Under the Southern Sky






Under the Southern Sky Book Cover




Under the Southern Sky





Kristy Woodson Harvey




Fiction




Gallery Books




April 20, 2021




Advanced reader copy




400




Free from publisher



Recently separated Amelia Buxton, a dedicated journalist, never expected that uncovering the biggest story of her career would become deeply personal. But when she discovers that a cluster of embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer have been deemed “abandoned,” she’s put in the unenviable position of telling Parker—and dredging up old wounds in the process.

Parker has been unable to move forward since the loss of his beloved wife three years ago. He has all but forgotten about the frozen embryos, but once Amelia reveals her discovery, he knows that if he ever wants to get a part of Greer back, he’ll need to accept his fate as a single father and find a surrogate.

Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia slowly begin to find solace in one another as they navigate an uncertain future against the backdrop of the pristine waters of their childhood home, Buxton Beach. The journey of self-discovery leads them to an unforgettable and life-changing lesson: Family—the one you’re born into and the one you choose—is always closer than you think.

My review:

I've been reading this author since her first book was published (you can find all reviews on the blog by using the search bar). I absolutely love to read the way her words flow across the page, and I've yet to find another writer who consistently can keep me captivated with her words, even on the rare occasion that the characters don't (here's looking at you, Gray and Sloane). I'm happy to report that the characters, plot, and writing all fell together perfectly in this book! I found the subject of abandoned fertilized eggs to be fascinating, and I'm sure happens more than we might think. Amelia and Parker's stories were very believable, and the fictional setting of Cape Carolina was glorious. The book alternates chapters between Amelia, Parker, and Parker's wife Greer, with a few chapters from Amelia's mother Elizabeth. It was the perfect blend to capture the past and present day, with all the angst and heartache served aplenty. There were even a few twists thrown in that, while not necessarily vital to the plot, still added some interesting aspects to the story. I'm not going to say that the ending surprised me, I think it's obvious from the first couple chapters how it's going to pan out, but I was completely satisfied and happy to have been correct. While not a major focus of the book, there were parts dealing with infertility, addiction, and mental illness that were expertly weaved in, without calling attention to them just for the sake of inclusion.

A lovely read, oozing with delightful prose and southern charm. Even though it was obvious where this book was headed, the narrative to get there was well worth it! We are headed back to Peachtree Bluff for Kristy's next book, so you'd best get a head start if you haven't read that series yet.

Published on Leave a comment on Kololo Hill
Kololo Hill Book Cover Kololo Hill
Neema Shah
Picador
February 18, 2021
Hardcover
304
Purchased

Uganda 1972

A devastating decree is issued: all Ugandan Asians must leave the country in ninety days. They must take only what they can carry, give up their money and never return.

For Asha and Pran, married a matter of months, it means abandoning the family business that Pran has worked so hard to save. For his mother, Jaya, it means saying goodbye to the house that has been her home for decades. But violence is escalating in Kampala, and people are disappearing. Will they all make it to safety in Britain and will they be given refuge if they do?

And all the while, a terrible secret about the expulsion hangs over them, threatening to tear the family apart.

From the green hilltops of Kampala, to the terraced houses of London, Neema Shah’s extraordinarily moving debut Kololo Hill explores what it means to leave your home behind, what it takes to start again, and the lengths some will go to protect their loved ones.

My review:

I first became acquainted with this book when it showed up on several Women's Prize for Fiction prediction lists. The premise sounded intriguing, so I ordered a copy. What a great move on my part, and I completely agree that it should have made the Women's Prize list! Once again, I learned about a part of history that I don't remember ever being taught, the expulsion of Asians living in Uganda under Idi Amin in 1972. The story follows one of these families forced to flee. The beginning of the book gives us some insight into their lives in Uganda as the decree first starts being talked about. Do they take it seriously, or is it just another empty threat from their new despot? From there we are given the opportunity to experience what it must be like to leave your entire life and livelihood behind and start over in a place where you have no money and do not even speak the language (sound familiar for current culture?). The story is told from the viewpoint of three family members, and they are wonderfully scripted! I loved learning about not only their life in Uganda, but the harrowing journey they took to London, and the way they had to start completely new lives while still trying to cling to some traditions of their past (just trying to find food that they could figure out how to make was a challenge). The writing was lovely (hard to believe it is a debut novel), without any extra words or phrases not pertinent to the ongoing story. The end was not overly tidy and neat, but a perfect reflection on how life is messy and complex. I was completely hooked from beginning to end, and was definitely rooting for Asha, Jaya, and Vijay to find fulfillment and some semblance of happiness.

I highly recommend this story of family and what makes a home, when the one you were secure in gets taken away. Lovely writing and well drawn characters make this one a book not to be missed!

Published on Leave a comment on Elizabeth & Margaret
Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters Book Cover Elizabeth & Margaret: The Intimate World of the Windsor Sisters
Andrew Morton
Biography & Autobiography
Grand Central Publishing
March 30, 2021
Hardcover
384
Free from publisher

They were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll decided to abdicate the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called 'Lillibet.' And bow to her wishes. Elizabeth would always look upon her younger sister's antics with a kind of stoical amusement, but Margaret's struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system-and her fraught relationship with its expectations-was often a source of tension. Famously, the Queen had to inform Margaret that the Church and government would not countenance her marrying a divorcee, Group Captain Peter Townsend, forcing Margaret to choose between keeping her title and royal allowances or her divorcee lover. From the idyll of their cloistered early life, through their hidden war-time lives, into the divergent paths they took following their father's death and Elizabeth's ascension to the throne, this book explores their relationship over the years. Andrew Morton's latest biography offers unique insight into these two drastically different sisters-one resigned to duty and responsibility, the other resistant to it-and the lasting impact they have had on the Crown, the royal family, and the ways it adapted to the changing mores of the 20thcentury.

My review:

I don't read a lot of nonfiction, but I do enjoy some royal gossip. I thought this would be the perfect book to get a truthful (not gossipy) look into the lives of Queen Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret. This author, best known for his wonderful biographies (particularly that of Princess Diana), does a wonderful job of telling a nonfiction story. I tend to get bogged down with the details in nonfiction, and find my mind wandering with so many facts being tossed around. This book read more like a fictionalized story of two sisters growing up, it just so happened that they grew up under a huge spotlight, not even of their own making. Elizabeth and Margaret would have been an offshoot on the line to the throne, until their uncle abdicated, thus changing their lives immeasurably. I liked that the book took the reader in a chronological order from birth to the death of Princess Margaret, with lots of interesting tidbits along the way. There is a lot of focus on the loves of Margaret, and how she broke the barrier around current views of divorce in the monarchy. I have a much more favorable picture of Elizabeth after reading this (the Queen Mother, not so much!).

For those who love royal history, or are fans of The Crown, pick up a copy of this well written and documented biography of two women who despite their fame, remained sisters at heart.

Published on Leave a comment on Anywhere For You






Anywhere for You Book Cover




Anywhere for You





Abbie Greaves




Fiction




William Morrow




April 6, 2021




Advanced reader copy




368




Free from publisher



The strangers of Ealing Broadway station are familiar with Mary O’Connor, the woman who appears every day to watch the droves of busy commuters. But Mary never asks anything from anyone. She only holds out a sign bearing a heartrending message: Come Home Jim.

While others pass her by without a thought, Alice, a junior reporter at the Ealing Bugle, asks Mary to tell her story. Many years ago, Mary met the charming and romantic Jim Whitnell. She was certain she’d found her other half, until one day he vanished without any explanation. But Mary believes that Jim isn’t a cad, that he truly loved her and will return—especially because she’s recently received grainy phone calls from him saying he misses her.

Touched but also suspicious, Alice quietly begins her own investigation into Jim’s disappearance, unraveling a decade-long story filled with desire, heartbreak, and hope. With Greaves’s signature warmth and charm, Anywhere for You is a romantic and immensely moving novel about the enduring power of love and finding happiness in unexpected places.

My review:

I'll admit, I almost gave up on this story before the real meat of it began. It starts with an insta-love connection, which I despise, and is one of the main reasons I shy away from romance novels in general. Despite the beginning though, this book takes on a completely different tone once the characters are explored further. It gives an excellent portrayal of a young woman struggling to make ends meet, working long hours to afford the tiny room she lives in. That same woman who is devastated when the love of her life goes missing without a trace. I was totally invested in what happened to Jim, and loved the way that reporter Alice tries to help locate him. I can't give a lot more away without ruining the plot, but this does deal with some heavy issues of abandonment and mental illness. Also the effect that hope has on the psyche of a person. Is it better to know the truth, or keep hope alive? I even enjoyed the romance aspect of this one, after my initial trepidation. It is told in a dual timeline, with the present Mary alternating with Mary when she was with Jim. This fit the overall narrative well, as it gave perspective on the reasons for Mary continuing to have hope. The ending was very satisfactory for me, and not what I expected going into the first few pages.

A surprise for me, this book delivers more than just a long lost romance tale. Some really good underlying issues are brought out, and it was one that I ended up enjoying. This would be good for those who don't mind romance novels, as long as they have something else substantive within the plot.

Published on Leave a comment on Summertime Guests






Summertime Guests Book Cover




Summertime Guests





Wendy Francis




Fiction




Graydon House Books




April 6, 2021




Advanced reader copy




384




Free from publisher



The Seafarer is the place to see and be seen in the summer…

With its rich history and famous guests, the glamorous Boston hotel is no stranger to drama. But the bustle at the iconic property reaches new heights one weekend in mid-June when someone falls tragically to her death, the event rippling through the lives of four very different people.

Bride-to-be Riley is at the hotel to plan her wedding. She would have preferred a smaller, more intimate celebration, but her bossy mother-in-law has taken charge and her fiancé hasn’t seemed to notice. Jean-Paul, the hotel’s manager, is struggling to keep his marriage and new family afloat, but now he must devote all his energy to this latest scandal at work. Claire, recently widowed, comes to town to connect with a long-lost love, but has too much changed in the last thirty years? And then there’s Jason, whose romantic getaway with his girlfriend has not exactly gone the way he'd hoped and instead has him facing questions he can't bring himself to answer.

Over three sun-drenched days, as the truth about the woman who died—and the secret she was hiding—is uncovered, these four strangers become linked in the most unexpected of ways. Together, they just might find the strength they need to turn their own lives around.

My review:

I so enjoyed this author's novel Best Behavior, that I graciously accepted the offer to read this latest story. These novels, while not without drama, are written in a way that I can sit for long periods of time and immerse myself in the storyline. In the case of this book, it sure was nice to imagine being at a luxury hotel at the height of summer!  It was also fun to experience some of the places that I've actually been to in real life, having  been to Boston many times. As I mentioned, this is not all sweetness and light. At the beginning of the book a woman falls to her death at the hotel. While we follow four main people up to and including the event, we as a reader are trying to put together not only how the fall happened (suicide? pushed? accidental?), but also who was the victim?  While the mystery unfolds, we experience the heart of the story, which is that of relationships. Old love, new love, lost love, those people heading into marriage, parenthood, widowhood, and relationships that are ending in very different ways. The writing flows really well, there are not lots of superfluous extras that don't have a place in the ongoing plot. My only regret would be that I wish there was more followup for a few of the characters (particularly the two men last seen with the deceased woman).

This book accomplished exactly what I hoped it would. It gave me a few hours to check myself into a luxury hotel, and solve a mystery, all the while taking in the various relationships of the guests. This would make an excellent summer beach read!

2

Published on 2 Comments on Mother May I






Mother May I Book Cover




Mother May I





Joshilyn Jackson




Fiction




William Morrow




April 6, 2021




Advanced reader copy




336




Free from publisher



Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?

My review:

Overall this was an enjoyable read. The premise of what would you do if someone kidnapped your child was well portrayed. The characters were likable enough, even those who we were perhaps not supposed to like? It was certainly suspenseful, and I read it quickly to see how it would all play out. I did have a couple minor issues with the number of times we heard about people acting their parts, and how the main protagonist used to be an actor. Also the ending was just too contrived to fit the happily ever after that it had. I can't give it away without spoilers, but it centers around the husband Trey, I wasn't buying the convenience. Having said that, the writing was great, the intrigue definitely there, and the story kept me invested in soaking up every last word. There were also a couple of reveals that I definitely didn't see coming that kept me on my toes! The desperation over finding the baby was palpable (particularly from the mother Bree), that part was very well done. Also, the subject of revenge from a mother played out in a most convincing way.

This is the second book by this author that has veered into the thriller category. While it certainly was fast paced, and had me flipping pages, I can't help but miss the style of her older books that were full of southern charm and wit. This seems to be a pattern developing among a lot of my previous favorite authors (sigh).