Author: ondbookshelf
Blogging my way through my extensive to be read pile of books.
The Nanny
Mother Knows Best
The Right Swipe
Careful What You Wish For
Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever
Fiction
William Morrow
July 30, 2019
Advanced Reader Copy
352
Publisher via BookExpo
In this game, even winning can be deadly... Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it—teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night. Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way—a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did. When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another. To protect herself and her family and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat the devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets. Amy knows the consequences if she can’t beat Roux. What terrifies her is everything she could lose if she wins. A diabolically entertaining tale of betrayal, deception, temptation, and love filled with dark twists leavened by Joshilyn Jackson’s trademark humor, Never Have I Ever explores what happens when the transgressions of our past come back with a vengeance.
My review:
I knew from reading the synopsis that this was not likely to be the same kind of novel for this author, and my premise was correct. Despite the fact that her last book The Almost Sisters was a huge favorite of mine, I'm going to try and review this as though I had never read this author before. I think that is the best way to go into this one, so you will not do the comparison game. First of all, there is no doubt that Ms. Jackson can spin a story no matter what genre she may choose! This story is definitely on the dark spectrum (at least for me), but it does still have some characters and plot points that shed light into the darkness. I loved what I learned about scuba diving, and of course there is the little matter of the neighborhood bookclub (not a very big part of the story, but enjoyable nonetheless). There was a ton of tension in this one, and lots of head scratching while you tried to figure out just who was the villain? Ultimately it's a story about how you can never really bury your past. Even if you aren't found out, you will always carry the weight of your secrets!
This was really enjoyable, I'm not going to say that I didn't miss the sassy wit that has been present in the other books I've read by this author, but go into it blind and you will be rewarded with an engrossing read.
Meet Me in Monaco
Meet Me in Monaco
Fiction
HarperCollins
July 23, 2019
E-book
384
Publisher via Edelweiss
Set in the 1950s against the backdrop of Grace Kelly’s whirlwind romance and glamourous wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco, New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb take the reader on an evocative sun-drenched journey along the Côte d’Azur in this page-turning novel of passion, fate, and second-chances. Movie stars and paparazzi flock to Cannes for the glamorous film festival, but Grace Kelly, the biggest star of all, wants only to escape from the flash-bulbs. When struggling perfumer Sophie Duval shelters Miss Kelly in her boutique, fending off a persistent British press photographer, James Henderson, a bond is forged between the two women and sets in motion a chain of events that stretches across thirty years of friendship, love, and tragedy. James Henderson cannot forget his brief encounter with Sophie Duval. Despite his guilt at being away from his daughter, he takes an assignment to cover the wedding of the century, sailing with Grace Kelly’s wedding party on the SS Constitution from New York. In Monaco, as wedding fever soars and passions and tempers escalate, James and Sophie—like Princess Grace—must ultimately decide what they are prepared to give up for love.
My review:
First off, let us take a moment to admire this gorgeous cover! I want to be where she is, and I had my chance when I visited Monaco this spring as part of a cruise I took. I knew I had to get my hands on this book pre-release to read about some of the sights and history of the place. This book was a fabulous read (much the same as this author duo's previous collaboration Christmas in Paris)! There were two story lines going on that intersect around Grace Kelly. Sophie is a perfumer trying to keep her late father's business intact despite her alcoholic mother and dwindling cash reserves. I loved all the descriptions of the intricacies of what goes into making a new perfume fragrance. James is a photographer who despite wishing he could take artistic photos must play paparazzi in order to keep his job. They meet thanks to Grace Kelly. The courtship and marriage of Grace to Prince Rainier of Monaco plays out throughout the book. I loved the descriptions of Monaco, the royal courtship, wedding preparations, and the twists and turns to Sophie and James' lives. I was a bit leery that the romance aspect was going to ruin the book for me, but because of the way it played out, I ended up feeling it was a true to life ending (as opposed to eye roll inducing fairytale romance).
A definite winner for me. Wonderfully readable, good pacing, great characters, well researched, and well written. I can recommend to all historical fiction fans, with special interest to those lovers of royal courtships and weddings, or the making of perfumes.