Skip to content

Published on Leave a comment on One Perfect Couple
One Perfect Couple Book Cover One Perfect Couple
Ruth Ware
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
May 21, 2024
Hardcover/Library
400
Purchased/Library audio

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla finds herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

My review:

I confess that I have never watched Survivor, not even one episode. But that certainly doesn't stop me from enjoying survivalist stories, this one included. This one takes off fairly quickly, just a small bit of backstory before we are on the island and the competition has begun. What starts as a game turns in a different direction when a storm erupts essentially cutting the couples off from communication and supplies. Add to that, someone among them is not what they seem, and you have the makings of a tense, exciting thriller! I loved the pacing, the writing, and the character set up. Even when I thought I had things figured out, I was sure that I was probably wrong in my hunch, so was waiting for the twist to fall. I really don't have any quibbles with this one, although the number of times we heard about how thirsty they were got a little tiresome. As with most thrillers, it probably didn't have anything that will make it stand out a few years from now (the only way a thriller earns five stars from me), but I very much enjoyed my time while listening.

A fast paced survivor story that will be perfect if you are a fan of the show, or these types of stories. Fast paced and intense, I think this will be the perfect summer read if you're tired of true beach reads.

Published on Leave a comment on The Rom-Commers
The Rom-Commers Book Cover The Rom-Commers
Katherine Center
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
June 11, 2024
Hardcover/Audio
336
Purchased/NetGalley

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

My review:

How fitting that a writer of rom-coms would aptly title her book The Rom-Commers! This was such a sweet (no spicy scenes....not my thing) story about a very headstrong woman willing to take on the task of helping a famous screenwriter fix (or completely overhaul) his latest rom-com. The issues lie in the fact that said writer has no interest in working on a rewrite since he doesn't believe in love, and our woman protagonist has had an infatuation with this man and his work for a vey long time. The way they interact and work through their problems in at the heart of the book. However, there are some side issues that really worked for me as well. Emma's dad has a chronic condition causing him to need round the clock care, and her guilt over having to leave him in the care of her sister while she jets off to LA take their tole in more ways than one. Charlie also has some health issues that are at the crux of the quintessential romance third act conflict. I really loved how strong Emma remained throughout the process. She clearly believes in her ability, and wanted to see it to completion. My only quibble would be that I questioned why she would be such a huge fan of Charlie's work when she is really only interested in rom-coms? Just a bit of a stumbling block that was easy to overlook once the story got rolling.

Great characters with witty banter, and some deeper issues also explored, made this a really enjoyable read. This will be a perfect book for your summer vacation if you like a bit more depth than just a fluffy love story.

Published on Leave a comment on Summers at the Saint
Summers at the Saint Book Cover Summers at the Saint
Mary Kay Andrews
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
May 7, 2024
Advance reader copy
448
Free from publisher

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

My review:

It's that time of year again! As the saying goes (and I'm paraphrasing), it's not summer until the new MKA book comes out! This one had all the things going for it that this author is known for, and why I always faithfully read her books each year. I love how she draws characters, I just loved Traci in this one. A girl from the wrong side of the tracks that you couldn't help but root for. As usual there are also some unscrupulous characters, and those that you grow to care for even if they don't start out quite on the right foot. I also loved the pacing of this book. At over 400 pages for a summer beach book, that is quite hefty, but it sure didn't feel like that while reading. Between all the goings on with the hotel, as well as a decades old mystery to solve, this one had me turning pages at a fast clip. There are a number of subplots that keep the readers interest high. And while I'm never a fan of the obligatory romance, this one wasn't too bad. If I had to quibble about any aspect it would be that it did wrap up rather quickly, then again a beach book at over 500 pages is probably not going to fly, so I get where the author was going.

If you want a great book to start your summer reading, look no further than this one. Fast paced, great storylines and well crafted characters, you will want to pack your bags and check in to the cute St. Cecelia (Saint) hotel.

Published on Leave a comment on Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade
Miss Morgan's Book Brigade Book Cover Miss Morgan's Book Brigade
Janet Skeslien Charles
Fiction
Simon and Schuster
April 30, 2024
Advance reader copy
336
Free from publisher

1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears.

1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time.

My review:

This book could not have come up in my reading plans at a better time. I was literally in Paris as I was reading about the women who helped the French mothers and children during the First World War. As is most often the case when I read historical fiction, I come across something that I had no prior knowledge of. In the case of this book, it was a group called the CARDS (American Committee for Devastated France). Headed up by Miss Morgan (daughter of J. P. Morgan), the book focuses mainly on a young woman named Jessie Carson, who creates a roving library to get books into the hands of the children of the war, most of whom have lost their homes, schools, and all their possessions. While Jessie works tirelessly to not only read to the children, she grows close to the other women in their group, who all have a part to play in the assistance effort. While there is a fair amount of sorrow regarding the awful war conditions, the book also offers hope and a whole lot of caring for the people left behind from the fighting. Told in two timelines, I definitely gravitated more to Jessie's story, but I understand how the more current timeline was important to the overall storytelling. While I did appreciate the small romance section for Jessie, I found the one for Wendy to be not as believable, and didn't feel it added much to the plot. Lots of great characters in this one other than Jessie, my favorite of course had to be Marcelle, the little French girl who grows up to be a CARD.

An informative look at an aspect of WWI not much has been written about. Be sure to read the author's note, which expands on each of the women and what became of them after their service. This one is a win for historical fiction fans, or those who love books about books!

Published on Leave a comment on The Princess of Las Vegas
The Princess of Las Vegas Book Cover The Princess of Las Vegas
Chris Bohjalian
Doubleday
March 19, 2024
Hardcover/Audio
400
Purchased/Library

A Princess Diana impersonator and her estranged sister find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of money and murder in this twisting tale of organized crime, cryptocurrency, and family secrets on the Las Vegas strip.

Crissy Dowling has created a world that suits her perfectly. She passes her days by the pool in a private cabana, she splurges on ice cream but never gains an ounce, and each evening she transforms into a Princess, performing her musical cabaret inspired by the life of the late Diana Spencer. Some might find her strange or even delusional, an American speaking with a British accent, hair feathered into a style thirty years old, living and working in a casino that has become a dated trash heap. On top of that, Crissy’s daily diet of Adderall and Valium leaves her more than a little tipsy, her Senator boyfriend has gone back to his wife, and her entire career rests on resembling a dead woman. And yet, fans see her for the gifted chameleon she is, showering her with gifts, letters, and standing ovations night after night. But when Crissy’s sister, Betsy, arrives in town with a new boyfriend and a teenage daughter, and when Richie Morley, the owner of the Buckingham Palace Casino, is savagely murdered, Crissy’s carefully constructed kingdom comes crashing down all around her. A riveting tale of identity, obsession, fintech, and high-tech mobsters, The Princess of Las Vegas is an addictive, wildly original thriller from one of our most extraordinary storytellers.

My review:

Let me start by saying why this author is an auto buy for me. I have followed his work for decades, since his novel Midwives was picked as an Oprah book club selection. I remember it was such a big deal since he was from my little home state of Vermont, and back in the days of her talk show, getting picked definitely put your name on the map. That book still remains one of my favorites, along with Close Your Eyes Hold Hands, and Hour of the Witch. I love that he writes many genres, and no two books are the same with regards to plot or style. While I have enjoyed many of his thriller books, I'm very stingy when it comes to rating any thrillers 5 stars, this one being an exception! What I loved about this book and what made it stand out as not just an ordinary thriller, was that it had an extra element other than the mystery that I could sink my teeth into. It's no secret that I'm a Royals follower, and I was a huge fan of Princess Di. Having part of this story about a Diana tribute performer at a fictional Las Vegas casino called Buckingham Palace transformed this into more than the mobster/cryptocurrency/family story. Crissy is a very flawed and vulnerable character, and when her distant sister shows up in town, toting her newly adopted foster teen and boyfriend you know is up to no good, things get way more interesting. I was worried that I was going to be lost in the cryptocurrency aspect, as I know nothing about it, but it was explained well enough that it turned out to not slow down my enjoyment. The end got a little messier than I would have liked, but being that this is targeted as a thriller, it had to have some tense moments.

I loved this book! I'm familiar with Las Vegas, so all the nuggets of places on the strip were really fun to read about. The story of sisters and found family was important, and of course the Lady Di references. I may even know a tad bit more about crypto (believe me, not much!) than I did before reading. I highly recommend this book, along with the author's backlist (pick a genre and it's likely he's written it). Another fun fact, I listened to the audio, and his daughter is one of the narrators.

Published on Leave a comment on The Women
The Women Book Cover The Women
Kristin Hannah
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
February 6, 2024
Hardcover/Audio
480
Purchased/Library

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over- whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

My review:

This one ended up being a tale of two parts for me. Part one of the book takes place with Frankie headed off to Vietnam as a nurse. With very little experience under her belt, the tales of what she encounters dealing with the casualties of war (not for the faint of heart) were engaging and intense. Even her mistakes on a personal level I could forgive because of her age (21 when she arrived). I thought the author did a wonderful job shedding light on not only what transpired in Vietnam, but the aftereffects of the war when the men and women returned stateside. I loved the way women were depicted as heroes, even though a majority never even thought about there being women who served. I loved her friends, who were always there for Frankie (and I mean always, stay tuned for my part two thoughts), I wish we had more written about them. The first part of the book was a 5 star read. Then we get to part two, where things start to slide on the ratings scale. I absolutely appreciated the portrayal of the PTSD many enlisted experienced. I was not terribly old at the end of the war so did not realize what kind of a reception the soldiers returning home were given, and that was enlightening. However, by the time she gets home, Frankie is now older and should be wiser, but she keeps making stupid decisions, and constantly relies on others (those friends I was talking about) to fly to her rescue (no small feat in those years). It got a bit tedious with her relationships, and then something happens not once, but twice (I can't give spoilers, but you'll know if you read it) that totally put the story into soap opera mode.

Overall a really masterful account of the Vietnam War, and those who served. While I liked the exploration of life for those after the war, I could have used less of Frankie's woe is me attitude, and definitely less of her relationships. Definitely still a solid read, and it appears I may be in the minority when it comes to my quibbles 🙂

Published on Leave a comment on After Annie
After Annie Book Cover After Annie
Anna Quindlen
Fiction
Random House
February 27, 2024
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher

When Annie Brown dies suddenly, her husband, her four young children and her closest friend are left to struggle without the woman who centered their lives. Bill Brown finds himself overwhelmed, and Annie’s best friend Annemarie is lost to old bad habits without Annie’s support. It is Annie’s daughter, Ali, forced to try to care for her younger brothers and even her father, who manages to maintain some semblance of their former lives for them all, and who confronts the complicated truths of adulthood.

Yet over the course of the next year, while Annie looms large in their memories, all three are able to grow, to change, even to become stronger and more sure of themselves. The enduring power Annie gave to those who loved her is the power to love, and to go on without her.

My review:

It comes as no surprise that I loved this novel. I've read many by this author, and her way of writing believable and loveable characters is matched by only a small few novelists. I also love that she writes about characters of all ages (from children to the elderly) with the same impeccable style. In this novel she focuses on a man whose wife has suddenly died, the woman's best friend, and the children (particularly the older two)that she leaves behind. All were spectacularly characterized, and you followed their grief as though Annie was someone that you knew, not a book character. While the story does focus a lot on their grief, it is also uplifting as we see how that grief manifests into love and the ability to go on because of that love (of Annie as well as each other). The school counselor was a lovely addition to the cast, you never know when someone will step in to help a person in need. This book focuses on the day to day living of these characters, and the author does a fabulous job of making ordinary living interesting. The end is hopeful and highly satisfying, and showcases everything that Annie would have wanted for those she loved. Trigger warnings for addiction and death.

A beautifully written story of how a person can leave a legacy of love after they are gone. Read this for the wonderful writing and characterization this author is known for.

Published on Leave a comment on The Turtle House
The Turtle House Book Cover The Turtle House
Amanda Churchill
Fiction
Harper
February 20, 2024
Advance reader copy
304
Free from publisher

Moving between late 1990s small-town Texas to pre-World War II Japan and occupied Tokyo, an emotionally engaging literary debut about a grandmother and granddaughter who connect over a beloved lost place and the secrets they both carry. It’s spring 1999, and 25-year-old Lia Cope and her prickly 73-year-old grandmother, Mineko, are sharing a bedroom in Curtain, Texas, the ranching town where Lia grew up and Mineko began her life as a Japanese war bride.

Both women are at a turning point: Mineko, long widowed, moved in with her son and daughter-in-law after a suspicious fire destroyed the Cope family ranch house, while Lia, an architect with a promising career in Austin, has unexpectedly returned under circumstances she refuses to explain. Though Lia never felt especially close to her grandmother, the two grow close sharing late-night conversations. Mineko tells stories of her early life in Japan, of the war that changed everything, and of her two great a man named Akio Sato and an abandoned Japanese country estate they called the Turtle House, where their relationship took root.

As Mineko reveals more of her early life—tales of innocent swimming lessons that blossom into something more, a friendship nurtured across oceans, totems saved and hidden, the heartbreak of love lost too soon—Lia comes to understand the depth of her grandmother’s pain and sacrifice and sees her Texas family in a new light. She also recognizes that it’s she who needs to come clean—about the budding career she abandoned and the mysterious man who keeps calling. When Mineko’s adult children decide, against her wishes, to move her into an assisted living community, she and Lia devise a plan to bring a beloved lost place to life, one that they hope will offer the safety and sense of belonging they both need, no matter the cost. A story of intergenerational friendship, family, coming of age, identity, and love, The Turtle House illuminates the hidden lives we lead, the secrets we hold close, and what it truly means to find home again when it feels lost forever.

My review:

First and foremost, this cover is absolutely stunning! If you are a reader who picks up books based on their covers, this one is for you 🙂 Most of the pertinent facts about this book are in the summary above, so I'm not going to reiterate that in my review. I will say that this was very well written for a debut, and I would not have known this was the author's first book. As with a lot of books with a timeline that goes back and forth, I was more drawn to the stories of Mineko's life in Japan, and even her present story. I thought Lia was a good source for Mineko's storytelling, although I felt her career story was not as compelling and didn't add much to the plot. I did however enjoy the way she used her architect degree to recreate The Turtle House from Mineko's memories. Both characters were very well drawn, and while the ending was melancholy, I appreciated that it didn't tie everything up in a happy ever after, which would have seemed too contrived for my taste. I thought the descriptions of Japan pre-WWII were very interesting.

Lovely writing and characters equate to the beauty of this cover. I loved Mineko and her story, what a stoic and brave woman, who just wanted to get back to the place that made her the happiest. Well worth the read, and a place face out on your bookshelf!

Published on Leave a comment on The Frozen River
The Frozen River Book Cover The Frozen River
Ariel Lawhon
Historical fiction
Doubleday Books
December 5, 2023
Hardcover/Audio
432
Purchased/Library audio

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

My review:

I've read a few historical fiction books by this author, and while they have all been beautifully written and well researched, the story has never grabbed me quite like this one did. I must admit that I am a sucker for a midwife novel (The Midwives by Chris Bohjalian remains one of my all time favorites!). I've never met or used one, but I find their work fascinating. Not only was the daily midwifery engaging in this particular story, but the way that Martha was way ahead of her time with looking out for her patients. In a time when women were frowned upon to be anything other than house servants and baby makers, Martha defied the odds with not only her profession, but her willingness to defend a townsperson raped by prominent men. Martha's diary becomes a central part of the goings on in the town over a long winter. There is a lot to engage in with this book, Martha's family and home life, her work as a midwife, and her testimony at trial. One of the men accused is found dead at the beginning of the story, so there is also the mystery of who killed him to uncover. I would also be remiss if I didn't give credit to Martha's husband, a man not found nearly enough in those times.

Excellent writing and characters made this a thoroughly enjoyable read. I love when a woman can be a hero for her time, and Martha fits that bill. I highly recommend to those who like historical fiction with a strong female protagonist, and just an all around good story.

Published on Leave a comment on Mercury
Mercury Book Cover Mercury
Amy Jo Burns
Fiction
Celadon books
January 2, 2024
Hardcover/Libby
336
Purchased/Library audio

It’s 1990 and seventeen-year-old Marley West is blazing into the river valley town of Mercury, Pennsylvania. A perpetual loner, she seeks a place at someone’s table and a family of her own. The first thing she sees when she arrives in town is three men standing on a rooftop. Their silhouettes blot out the sun.

The Joseph brothers become Marley’s whole world before she can blink. Soon, she is young wife to one, The One Who Got Away to another, and adopted mother to them all. As their own mother fades away and their roofing business crumbles under the weight of their unwieldy father’s inflated ego, Marley steps in to shepherd these unruly men. Years later, an eerie discovery in the church attic causes old wounds to resurface and suddenly the family’s survival hangs in the balance. With Marley as their light, the Joseph brothers must decide whether they can save the family they’ve always known―or whether together they can build something stronger in its place.

My review:

I love to start the year with a five star read within the first few weeks, and I'm happy to say that I have accomplished that with this book! After reading the synopsis of this one I was hopeful, since it has the buzzwords I gravitate toward. I love a good character driven family story. Bonus points if that family is dysfunctional. I'm not sure that I would say this family was dysfunctional in the way that generally comes across, but I would call them troubled. Either way it worked for me! I loved the way all of the characters were portrayed, particularly the main character Marley. The roofing business at the center of this family almost seemed like another character, with the expectation that the children would take over for their father, like it or not. While the focus is definitely on Marley, we still get plenty of exposure to the parents and three brothers. There is a mystery within the story, but it's not a main plot point. It does add to the narrative, particularly when we as readers are made privy to the details. In the end, this is a story of how family can break you apart, and also bring you back together.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes a character driven family story. It moves along very well and I was engaged throughout, but if you are a reader who needs lots of plot points in your books, this may not work as well for you. It certainly ticked all my boxes!