It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! Hosted by The Book Date.
I’m happy to say I was able to get an antibiotic for my ear pain today. It’s been going on for several weeks and I’ve also developed a sinus infection too. It should be gone by the time we start traveling again in a week. The rain has finally stopped. We are off to Lowe’s later today to replace our washer which wouldn’t start the first cycle after having it only 21 months. Is anything made to last anymore? Thank goodness it’s still under warranty and they gave us a gift card. Hopefully it’ll cover the cost of most of the new machine minus the new warranty.
LAST WEEK’S READS
READING NOW
READING NEXT
Of course, my reading list is always subject to change. What about you, what will I find you reading this week?
I am so pleased to welcome you onto my blog today for the blog tour of The Locket by Natalie Meg Evans.
ABOUT THE BOOK
England, 1942. ‘It has to stay secret,’ he whispers, placing the locket around her neck. ‘If they find it, they’ll send me away.’ As she holds the locket, glinting in the moonlight, she can’t hold back the tears. ‘I just wish we didn’t have to hide…’ When farmer’s daughter Irene meets Theodore at a village dance, sparks fly instantly. The war has brought him all the way from Louisiana to build a US airbase just across her father’s fields, but as they sway together, there is nothing else in the world. Only his gentle touch and his deep brown eyes. But being together comes at a price. As Theodore is Black, the might of the US Air Force is against them, and all the members of the little village community disapprove of their relationship. And they will all go to terrible lengths to tear the two young lovers apart… Decades later, heartbroken Ruby is back at her family’s crumbling farmhouse for the first time in years, after the loss of her beloved grandmother Irene. The roof has fallen in, family photographs are damaged – and her grandmother’s jewellery is nowhere to be found. When Ruby uncovers her grandmother’s waterlogged diaries, she discovers that Irene treasured one piece of lost jewellery above all. A locket from a man called Theodore. And the missing locket holds the key to unravelling a heartbreaking secret that changed her grandmother’s life… Is someone in the village hiding the locket to keep the truth about Irene and Theodore buried? And can Ruby find a way to honour her grandmother’s memory –or in digging up the pain of the war, will she tear her family apart? An absolutely breathtaking World War Two story about the power of love in the face of adversity, and how the tragic consequences of war can echo through generations. Fans of Fiona Valpy, The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See will be addicted to this incredible read.
MY THOUGHTS
My heart about broke reading such an emotional story.
A time slip taking place in England 1942 and modern times. Each features a romantic couple, the one in 1942 is Irene, a 17-year-old farmer’s daughter, Irene, and Theo a service man stationed far from Louisiana, now proudly serving in the US Air Force and there to build a US airbase just across her father’s fields.
The modern times story features Irene’s granddaughter Ruby and her romantic partner. I will admit my favorite part of the story was the historical time period.
Irene falls fast when she meets Theo at a town dance, but Theo warns her they must keep their romance a secret, see Theo is black and a romance such as this is just not accepted in this time period.
The descriptions of the prejudice people and the treatment of Theo including beatings just for a romance with a white woman disgusted me. What business is it of anyone who someone dates or socializes with, nobody’s affair but the two it involves. And this includes the church minister involved in bigotry.
There was just no combatting prejudice and bigotry at this time and Theo was beaten, sent away and jailed. Before this though, when their romance was fresh and new, they were engaged, and he gave her a beautiful engagement ring hidden in a locket. My heart breaks for the injustice and ruined lives here.
Many years later Irene’s granddaughter, Ruby comes to the farm where Irene lived and finds her grandmother’s diary.
She is determined to find out her grandmother’s secrets, she had no idea about her grandmother’s past or where the locket is located. Will digging up the past cause pain to her family, especially and older generation member or will they hold the key to unlocking the past?
Brilliantly written, I had such a hard time putting this down. The perseverance the past generation showed in the face of adversity is amazing and must be commended! Five stars but I wish I could give it more!
Natalie is a RITA nominated, USA Today Bestselling author of six novels: The Dress Thief, The Milliner’s Secret (re-titled “The Girl who Dreamed of Paris”), The Wardrobe Mistress, Summer in the Vineyards, The Secret Vow and The Paris Girl that feature sisters, Katya and Tatiana. Since then, Natalie has released Into the Burning Dawn and The Italian Girl’s Secret, books set in the lucious Bay of Naples during the second world war. Now, the latest novel is available and it is called The Girl with the Yellow Star. The story takes place in Cornwall on the glorious north coast, and is a heart-wrenching story of loss, love and challenging choices.
Have you started reading Christmas books for the season yet? Well, I am delighted to invite you onto my blog today to tell you about The Gingerbread Christmas Village. It’s such a warm and uplifting seasonal book.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Gingerbread Christmas Village
Everyone deserves a Christmas treat…
The annual Wheaton gingerbread exhibit (a model village made of gingerbread) and grotto has been an important part of the sleepy Cotswold hamlet’s Christmas celebrations for decades.
For years the gingerbread exhibition drew visitors from across the region and each year the model town grew more elaborate and ambitious but recently, interest has been dwindling. The gingerbread grotto needs to be rehomed or close forever.
Sixty-four-year-old Margi, the event’s founder, has had enough of village life (and its total lack of eligible men) and is planning to sell up and head to Birmingham to live closer to her niece.
She has lost her spark and her Christmas spirit and decides this will be her last gingerbread village, but despairs when she finds her only support is her old friend, Izzy, her niece Lucy from Birmingham, and Fern, the shy young farmer’s daughter. Oh, and Patrick, the gorgeous, reliable school caretaker.
As if this wasn’t enough, Lucy is determined to get her out dating again and persuades her to try some online dating apps but Margi’s had her heart broken too many times and wonders if she has just missed her chance.
Can they save the Gingerbread Grotto and can Margi get her old spark and her Christmas spirit back?
A cosy, totally feelgood seasonal read that will have you smiling. The perfect read to snuggle up and have you feeling festive! Fans of Jenny Colgan and Trisha Ashley will love this book.
MY THOUGHTS
Every year I look forward to starting to read Christmas books and after reading several books by this author that I loved so much I knew this one would be a delight. I mean just seeing the word gingerbread in the title you envision Christmassy goodness. I was delighted to discover this book features a sixty-something heroine.
I just loved Margi, she’s had her knocks, and she starts out with her spunk lost. She’s a middle-aged lady she’s had good and bad in life including a humiliation and none of us likes that.
She’s a relatable character, she worries, and has her insecurities but she sees the positive and works towards it. She needs a confidence booster and gets it in a big way. The author does descriptions right, her small-town Christmas time feel was just right. While Margi may have lost her spunk when we start out, she’s got that sparkle back in her eyes by books end.
Warm and welcoming this book will be a welcome addition to your holiday reading.
Pub Date 31 Aug 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Phoebe Dashwood is living the dream. She’s running her own successful vet practice, Puddleduck Vets, alongside her grandmother’s animal sanctuary.
She’s also dating the gorgeous, yet slightly broken Rufus Holt, the most eligible bachelor in the New Forest. So why isn’t she blissfully happy?
Both Phoebe and Rufus are consumed 24/7 by their own commitments. Their relationship is always last on the list. Phoebe juggles quirky, yet demanding clients and their pets whilst widowed Rufus is consumed by his anxieties, responsibilities of fatherhood and the unenviable tasks of being a Lord in waiting with a huge estate to manage.
Phoebe knows that when you’re a vet, there isn’t always a happy ending. But will there be a happy ending for Phoebe, Rufus and everyone else at Puddleduck Farm? Is it ever really possible to have it all?
Even if I hadn’t already read several of the other books in the Puddleduck Farm series I would have been drawn to the charming cover of this book. You can’t go wrong with a book full of animals on a farm even if some of the animals are causing drama. I am a huge animal lover so of course a book with an animal sanctuary and a practicing vet that we get to go along with on her daily animal duties. How about the one where she delivers a calf in a field under the moonlight? I don’t think this bit of moonlight had any romance in it. Phoebe should be thrilled to bits running a successful vet business and her grandmother’s animal sanctuary along with all this success, she’s dating handsome widowed Rufus, Lord in waiting of the manor. Except when you seem to have it all, do you really? Phoebe and Rufus have so many responsibilities and duties their relationship is on the back burner of well, everything. I enjoyed seeing characters from previous books and meeting new characters as well. These characters added humor, friendship and charm to the story. Full of self-discovery, friendship, charm and warmth. A relatable story that you’re going to want to read. Part of a series but this can easily be read as a stand-alone story.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Visit other blogs on the tour
About the Author
Author Bio –
Della Galton writes short stories, teaches writing groups and is Agony Aunt for Writers Forum Magazine. She lives in Dorset.
A hurricane may have destroyed her livelihood on Prince Edward Island, but she’s determined to save her community.
Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it’s not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there’s more to the quiet man than meets the eye.
For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can’t seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up–or lose the heart of the woman he longs for.
Join New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson for a season of rebuilding, restoration, and romance with this final book in the Prince Edward Island Shores series.
My Thoughts
I’m ready to pack my bags and take a trip to Prince Edward Island. The descriptions in the book make it sound like such an appealing place to be. I’ve read other books by this author and though this is the third book in this series and my first read in this series I enjoyed it very much. I have the second book ready to read shortly. This is such a beautiful story with compassion, redemption, forgiveness and just plain listening to what others said and taking it to heart. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, seeing a sweet romance develop and receiving the inspirational message in the book. Looking forward to going back and catching up on the series.
pub Aug 8, 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Author
By day Liz Johnson works in marketing. She finds time to write late at night and is a Christy Award finalist and a two-time ACFW Carol Award finalist. Liz makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona where she enjoys theater, exploring local history, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She loves stories of true love with happy endings. Find out more about Liz at http://www.LizJohnsonBooks.com.
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.
How it works:
Each week Jana assigns on Tuesday a topic and then posts a top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.
This week’s topic is
Books With One-Word Titles
I am a Weyward, and wild inside.
2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family’s grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart’s Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.
Worlds Collide Along the Shores of the Outer Banks
Immerse yourself in the “what if” questions related to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. What if an English boy and a native girl met in the wilderness? The push-and-pull between two very different worlds begins as one seeks simple friendship and the other struggles to trust. And can it—dare they—allow it to be more?
Sparks fly between Mushaniq, free-spirited daughter of Manteo, and Georgie Howe, whose father was brutally murdered by undiscovered native warriors before they’d been on Roanoac Island a full week. As Georgie struggles to make sense of his life and to accept that not all they call “savage” are guilty of his father’s death, Mushaniq grapples with her own questions about who Manteo has become. As tentative friendship becomes more, forged in the fire of calamity and attack upon their community, both must decide whether the One True God is indeed who He claims to be and whether He is worthy of their trust.
Author Shannon McNear portrays history with vivid authenticity.
Visit the charming community of Fox Crossing, Maine in this witty, feel-good story about small town life, the power of belief, the importance of community, and one very special fox whose appearance heralds second chances, luck – or best of all, love. Animal lovers, fans of Hallmark happy endings, and those who enjoy smart, uplifting, heartwarming stories with a twist will be delighted by the latest tale from internationally bestselling author Melinda Metz.
The town of Fox Crossing, Maine, has something special—a legendary fox with a knack for bringing fortune, love, and happiness to anyone lucky enough to see it…
Isobel Gamble is a young seamstress carrying generations of secrets when she sets sail from Scotland in the early 1800s with her husband, Edward. An apothecary who has fallen under the spell of opium, his pile of debts have forced them to flee Glasgow for a fresh start in the New World. But only days after they’ve arrived in Salem, Edward abruptly joins a departing ship as a medic––leaving Isobel penniless and alone in a strange country, forced to make her way by any means possible.
When she meets a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is a man haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows––while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. As the weeks pass and Edward’s safe return grows increasingly unlikely, Nathaniel and Isobel grow closer and closer. Together, they are a muse and a dark storyteller; the enchanter and the enchanted. But which is which?
In this sensuous and hypnotizing tale, a young immigrant woman grapples with our country’s complicated past, and learns that America’s ideas of freedom and liberty often fall short of their promise. Interwoven with Isobel and Nathaniel’s story is a vivid interrogation of who gets to be a “real” American in the first half of the 19th century, a depiction of the early days of the Underground Railroad in New England, and atmospheric interstitials that capture the long history of “unusual” women being accused of witchcraft. Meticulously researched yet evocatively imagined, Laurie Lico Albanese’s Hester is a timeless tale of art, ambition, and desire that examines the roots of female creative power and the men who try to shut it down.
Based on a true story, a spellbinding historical novel about the world’s first female investigative journalist, Nellie Bly.
In 1887, young Nellie Bly sets out for New York and a career in journalism, determined to make her way as a serious reporter, whatever that may take.
But life in the city is tougher than she imagined. Down to her last dime and desperate to prove her worth, she comes up with a dangerous plan: to fake insanity and have herself committed to the asylum on Blackwell’s Island. There, she will work undercover to expose the asylum’s wretched conditions.
But when the asylum door swings shut behind her, she finds herself in a place of horrors, governed by a cruelty she could never have imagined. Cold, isolated and starving, her days of terror reawaken the traumatic events of her childhood. She entered the asylum of her own free will – but will she ever get out?
An extraordinary portrait of a woman ahead of her time, Madwoman is the story of a quest for the truth that changed the world.
Award-winning author Lori Benton delivers a rich historical novel of faith, hope, and second chances.
December 1795 A year has passed since Ian Cameron reluctantly sent his uncle’s former slave Seona and their son, Gabriel, north to his kin in Boston. Determined to fully release them, Ian strives to make a life at Mountain Laurel, his inherited plantation, along with Judith, the wife he’s vowed to love and cherish. But when tragedy leaves him alone with his daughter, Mandy, and his three remaining slaves, he decides to return north. An act of kindness on the journey provides Ian the chance to obtain land near the frontier settlement of Shiloh, New York. Perhaps even the hope for a new life with those he still holds dear.
In Boston, Seona has taken her first tentative steps as a free woman, while trying to banish Ian from her heart. The Cameron family thinks she and Gabriel should remain under their protection. Seona’s mother, Lily, thinks it’s time they strike out on their own. Then Ian arrives, offering a second chance Seona hadn’t dared imagine. But the wide-open frontier of Shiloh feels as boundless and terrifying as her newfound freedom—a place of new friends and new enemies, where deep bonds are renewed but old hurts stand ready to rear their heads. It will take every ounce of faith and courage Ian and Seona can muster to fight for their family and their future . . . together.
Set in Jazz Age New York City, this stunning work of fiction, for fans of The Paris Wife and Loving Frank, explores the timeless bond between two brilliant, strong-willed artists, Kay Swift and George Gershwin.
One evening in 1924, Katharine “Kay” Swift—the restless but loyal society wife of a wealthy banker and a serious pianist who longs for recognition—attends a concert. The piece: Rhapsody in Blue. The composer: a brilliant, elusive young musical genius named George Gershwin.
Kay is transfixed, helpless to resist the magnetic pull of George’s talent, charm, and swagger. Their ten-year love affair, complicated by her conflicted loyalty to her husband and the twists and turns of her own musical career, ends only with George’s death from a brain tumor at the age of thirty-eight.
George Gershwin left behind not just a body of work unmatched in popular musical history, but a woman who loved him with all her heart, knowing all the while that he belonged not to her, but to the world.
Anna Ellington was born in the Wellington County House of Industry and Refuge, known as the “Poor House” near Fergus, Ontario, Canada. Later she was bound out to a wealthy family in Toronto. In 1904, Anna returns to Fergus as a beautiful young woman in search of her family. She hopes to learn why her mother ended up in the County Poor House. During her visit to the area she encounters several local characters and finds romance, mystery, wealth, intrigue and answers to many questions. Readers will never forget Anna and the folks that enter her life.
Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.
It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana (yet still somehow manages to be overbearing), Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it’s not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils—and rewards—of putting her heart on the line.
Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Jessica George’s Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.
Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.
After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.
Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim—Eunhee’s granddaughter—to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.
Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women—grandmothers and granddaughters—intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.
The books I’ve listed are from my NetGalley list. Weyard to Madwoman I have not read. The others I have or at least tried to. I didn’t like all of them and could not finish a few. How about you, have you read any of these? What were your thoughts? Finding one word titles was not as easy as I thought it would be.
I haven’t had a chance to do these extras on the blog for quite a while. I’m hoping to find time to do these more often now again. Hosted by Reading is My SuperPower here.
Today I am featuring The Ocean in Winter by Elizabeth de Veer.
And the first line is
Sunday, March 2, 2014 Riley
I am hurtling through Massachusetts at a rate of speed I cannot understand; the wind blows my cheeks, but it does not feel cold.
About The Book
The lives of the three Emery sisters were changed forever when Alex, eleven at the time, found their mother drowned in the bathtub of their home. After their mother’s suicide, the girls’ father shut down emotionally, leaving Alex responsible for caring for Colleen, then eight, and little Riley, just four. Now the girls are grown and navigating different directions. Alex, a nurse, has been traveling in India and grieving her struggle to have a child; Colleen is the devoted mother of preteens in denial that her marriage is ending; and Riley has been leading what her sisters imagine to be the dream life of a successful model in New York City. Decades may have passed, but the unresolved trauma of their mother’s death still looms over them creating distance between the sisters.
Then on a March night, a storm rages near the coast of northeastern Massachusetts. Alex sits alone in an old farmhouse she inherited from a stranger. The lights are out because of the storm; then, an unexpected knock at the door. When Alex opens it, her beautiful younger sister stands before her. Riley has long been estranged from their family, prompting Colleen to hire the private investigator from whom they’d been awaiting news. Comforted by her unexpected presence, Alex holds back her nagging questions: How had Riley found her? Wouldn’t the dirt roads have been impassable in the storm? Why did Riley insist on disappearing back into the night?
After her mysterious visitation, Alex and Colleen are determined to reconcile with Riley and to face their painful past, but the closer they come to finding their missing sister, the more they fear they’ll only be left with Riley’s secrets. An unforgettable story about grief, love, and what it means to be haunted, The Ocean in Winter marks the debut of a remarkable new voice in fiction.
336 pages May 02,2023 publication date Ballantine Books publisher
About The Book
Heather Willette has a good life in Concord, Massachusetts. But when her marriage has fizzles out, Heather has to decide what sort of life to live next. Ready to seek out her own happiness and discover herself again, Heather decides to leave her husband and rent a cottage on Nantucket. And her plan is going perfectly—until her son, Ross, announces he’s moving to Nantucket to work at his girlfriend’s family’s construction business instead of going back home to work with his own father, like he’d promised. Worst of all for Heather, this means having to get along with her.
Kailee Essex is thrilled that Ross is willing to move to her hometown. She has big hopes for their happily ever after, especially now that her parents are finally showing interest in her career. She’s less thrilled, however, about his mother living nearby. Kailee has clashed with Heather since the day they met. But anything is possible in the summer sun and sea breezes of Nantucket—even reconciliation. And when change comes sooner than either Heather or Kailee expect, they must learn to overcome their differences to fight for the future they want.
With All the Days of Summer, beloved storyteller Nancy Thayer delivers a moving novel that explores the complexity of family and the unexpected ways fate can guide you forward.
My Thoughts
Heather Willette lives in Massachusetts with her husband and in his twenties son. Her son will take over their hardware store when his father retires, it’s all been planned out. That is until Kailee Essex comes into their lives, or rather her son Ross’s life.
This thin, young blond beauty from a wealthy Nantucket family has stolen his heart and refuses to give it back. In what seems like an instant all his plans change, he no longer will take over his paren’t hardware store but will move in with Kailee’s family for now and rise in the ranks in her father’s business while he’s treated like a son by her family.
Heather knows the run was good but good isn’t good enough and what seals the deal is her husband would rather watch a ball game than have a serious talk with her. It’s time for that divorce and for her to do some living, do some things that make her happy. When a friend of hers finds her an in need of work cottage to rent for the summer in Nantucket she snaps it up. After all what will a 3-month Nantucket vacation hurt while the divorce is processing?
Heather and Kailee, these two women seem to be at each other’s throats all the time especially when Kailee finds out Heather has moved to the town she lives in. Has she followed Ross here, not able to cut the mother-adult son ties?
Many times poor Ross feels as though he has to choose between his mother or his girlfriend and having to defend his actions. I wasn’t too sure if I liked Kailee’s character. She is highly driven like her mother and wants a high ranking, important job in her family’s business.
Some family dramatics made me feel bad for Heather as there are many misunderstandings between the two women and at one point, I was convinced Ross would call it off with Kailee after their engagement. The book is beautifully emotional and you will really enjoy the family dynamics. This book is so realistic, once you start, you’re not going to be able to put it down. Fabulous! Such a perfect summer read.
May 2,2023 pub date I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
I grew up in Kansas, surrounded by prairie, but thirty-five years ago I came to Nantucket to visit a friend who introduced me to the love of my life. Charley and I have now lived on Nantucket for 33 years–year-round, as we say, so I have a special feeling for this island and for the people who come here. I love the island most in the winter when the waves crash dramatically on the shore.
I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English literature from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and I still go to KC often to visit my darling baby sister, who inspires many of the characters in my book. Yes, she is blond, and yes, she is 9 years younger than I am. I still love her.
For a few years, I taught freshman English in several states, and had short stories published in literary reviews. My first novel, Stepping, was published by Doubleday in 1980, and started me off on the career I’ve always wanted. I was a Fellow at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference in 1980 and in 2015, I received the RT Career Achievement Award.
I’ve published 30 novels–all available on Amazon–including Secrets in Summer, The Island House, The Guest Cottage, Nantucket Sisters, and Island Girls. A Nantucket Wedding was my 30th. The upcoming Surfside Sisters will be out July, 2019! Champagne for everyone!
When I’m not writing novels–all 30 are available on Amazon–I’m walking the beach with my husband or entertaining our 4 grandchildren & their parents & our friends. All my novels are about family and friendships, which I believe are the foundation of a happy, if complicated, life.
Have a most blessed day and thank you for visiting today.
334 pages May 02,2023 publication date Berkley publisher
About The Book
THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
A Most Anticipated Book by Today ∙ Oprah Daily ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ BuzzFeed ∙ SheReads ∙ Zibby Mag ∙ PopSugar ∙ BookRiot ∙ Culturess ∙ Her Campus ∙ The Everygirl ∙ and more!
A random connection sends two strangers on a daylong adventure where they make a promise one keeps and the other breaks, with life-changing effects, in this breathtaking new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After.
Fern Brookbanks has wasted far too much of her adult life thinking about Will Baxter. She spent just twenty-four hours in her early twenties with the aggravatingly attractive, idealistic artist, a chance encounter that spiraled into a daylong adventure in the city. The timing was wrong, but their connection was undeniable: they shared every secret, every dream, and made a pact to meet one year later. Fern showed up. Will didn’t.
At thirty-two, Fern’s life doesn’t look at all how she once imagined it would. Instead of living in the city, Fern’s back home, running her mother’s lakeside resort—something she vowed never to do. The place is in disarray, her ex-boyfriend’s the manager, and Fern doesn’t know where to begin.
She needs a plan—a lifeline. To her surprise, it comes in the form of Will, who arrives nine years too late, with a suitcase in tow and an offer to help on his lips. Will may be the only person who understands what Fern’s going through. But how could she possibly trust this expensive-suit wearing mirage who seems nothing like the young man she met all those years ago. Will is hiding something, and Fern’s not sure she wants to know what it is.
But ten years ago, Will Baxter rescued Fern. Can she do the same for him?
My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the author’s debut book and props to her for once again making my heart fill with such emotion while reading this.
Our main character Fern Brookbanks has met Wil Baxter ten years ago when he was hired to do some painting at her coffee shop. She is convinced he is her soul mate after spending just 24 hours with him and not seeing again for ten years. A chance meeting at her mother’s lodge has him checking in there to do some work for her mother.
Fern is shocked to see him there and the past ten years she has spent entirely too many hours dreaming about him. The author has my emotions ever changing in this one. At first I was mad at Wil and going away all those years ago with no explanation.
As we find out slowly, Wil’s backstory he does have a reason, but I still think he should have told her at the time. I think we all love second chance romances.
They both have a lot of baggage they’re carrying; her mother has recently passed, and she is trying to run the lodge living up to her mother’s high standards. He also has had a lot of family complications and obligations he’s trying to fulfill. The summer is young, the lake is cool, and this heartbreaking emotional book may be just what you need for your next lakeside read.
Pub Date 02 May 2023 I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
About The Author
Carley Fortune is the New York Times and #1 Globe and Mail bestselling author of EVERY SUMMER AFTER. Her second book, MEET ME AT THE LAKE, comes out May 2, 2023. Carley is an award-winning journalist and worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two sons. Follow her on Instagram @carleyfortune.
351 pages November 29,2022 publish date Berkley publisher
About The Book
When an army vet becomes a firefighter in small-town Colorado, the flames of an old love reignite in this sweet romance by bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray In Woodland Park, a small town nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Anderson Kelly and Chelsea Davis were once the high school “it” couple—the star quarterback and the valedictorian. They broke up when Anderson joined the army and one poor decision at a fraternity party changed Chelsea’s life. Now, she works long shifts in a senior center to support her nine-year-old son, Jack.
After multiple tours in Afghanistan, Anderson has changed, too—physically scarred but mentally strong—and he decides to move back to Woodland Park. Anderson and Chelsea steer clear of each other to avoid reopening old wounds, until they are forced to reconnect through the senior center. They soon discover that the love they once shared never completely vanished. But it will take a fire, a dangerous collision, and the love of one little boy to help Anderson and Chelsea see that the future they’ve always yearned for is in sight…
My Thoughts
I just love Shelley Shepard Gray’s books. She is a very talented author, writing equally well in many genres. This is a wonderful book to spend several hours relaxing and reading. Woodland Park, Colorado is a small-town family-oriented town where you’re likely to find a little league game most every summer night. Family holds each other tightly here. Anderson Kelly and Chelsea Davis were once high school sweethearts but then he enlisted. This Army vet is back in town and Chelsea is still there, if he could avoid her it’d be perfect. He’s so embarrassed by the way he left her. Chelsea now has a young son and despite himself he finds enjoying time spent with her and her son. Two hearts adrift that have never stopped loving each other deep down. Can this Army vet turned firefighter and his rediscovered flame learn to trust again and let it all fall back into place again? Beautiful writing. I’ll be looking forward to more books by this author soon.
29 Nov 2022 publication date. I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Author
Shelley Shepard Gray is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author. She’s published over a hundred novels and has over a million books in print. She currently lives in northern Ohio and writes full time.
Shelley lives just an hour from Holmes County, where many of her Amish-themed novels are set. She currently writes contemporary romance and Amish fiction for a variety of publishers. When not spending time with her family or writing, she can usually be found walking her two dachshunds on one of the many trails in the Cleveland area.
She also bakes a lot, loves coconut cream pie, and will hardly ever pull weeds, mow the yard, or drive in the snow.
Shelley also spends a lot of time on line! Please visit her website, http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com to find out her latest news or to sign up for her newsletter. Shelley can also be found on FaceBook, Instagram @shelley.s.gray, or on Twitter @ShelleySGray.
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