Lily Bishop wakes one morning to find a good-bye note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having moved to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated but forced to contemplate her next steps when she sees a flier at the grocery store for a hair stylist position in a local retirement community.
Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village of Safe Harbor years ago–just before her husband ran off with his assistant. Now she runs a tight ship, making sure the residents follow her strict rules. Rose keeps everyone at arm’s length, including her own family. But when Lily shows up asking for a job and a place to live, Rose’s cold exterior begins to thaw. Lily and Rose form an unlikely friendship, and Lily’s salon soon becomes the place where residents share town gossip, as well as a few secrets of their own. Lily even finds herself drawn to Rose’s nephew, Rawlins–a single dad and shrimper who’s had some practice at starting over, and one of the residents may be carrying a torch for Rose as well.
Neither Lily nor Rose is where they expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve lived so far. The Summer House weaves Lauren Denton’s inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself.
I’m just going to say it: I love Lauren K. Denton’s writing! This was another entrancing summer read! If only I’d been at the beach reading….I was glued to the page from the moment Lily woke up to find her husband gone without warning.
Rose changed the most during this novel, and her journey was wonderful to read. Despite her emotionally barricaded life, she learns to open up and trust people, just as Lily does. Even the secondary characters are wonderful, and this is definitely a book worth binge reading!
Lauren K. Denton is a bestselling author. The Summer House is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)
The 5th Wave, by Rick Yancey (TBR). I’m mad this has been sitting on myself for over a year…but glad I also had the rest of the trilogy waiting, as I finished this in three days.
Gilt Hollow, by Lorie Langdon (TBR). This felt like a standard YA book to me. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t stand out.
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (classic). It’s been a while since I re-read this one, and I loved it all over again. It brought me so much joy! (And the P & P memes on Pinterest are hysterical.)
Lioness Arising, by Lisa Bevere (spiritual). Loved this! Very empowering and motivating.
Dorothy Must Die, by Danielle Paige (TBR). I enjoyed this, apart from how everything in Oz was flipped. Dorothy is evil? That may have been a bit much for my The Wizard of Oz-loving self.
For Review:
The Summer House, by Lauren K. Denton (review forthcoming). Okay, I’ll just say it: Lauren K. Denton is an automatic, must-read for me. Seriously. I’ve loved everything I’ve read of hers. If you haven’t read any, you’re missing out. Also: LOVED this cover!
The Jane Austen Society, by Natalie Jenner. I enjoyed this so much! It’s about a diverse group of people from Austen’s home town who fight to save her legacy. This novel actually had the feel of an Austen novel.
Of Literature and Lattes, by Katherine Reay. I’ve read a couple of Reay’s novels and enjoyed them very much. I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much, but it was a solid read. There were too many points-of-view I think to make this truly great (to me). I love the feel of this small town, but Alyssa, the MC, was…almost unlikable. Frankly, she was whiny, sat around feeling sorry for herself, and was mean and ugly to everyone around her.
Image belongs to Crooked Lane Books.
The Girls Weekend, by Jody Gehrman (review forthcoming). This was an interesting closed-door mystery. I really had no idea who did it, but I thought not telling the cops they’d been drugged and cleaning up the house/crime scene was a bad idea.
A Study in Murder, by Callie Hutton (review forthcoming). This was a fun cozy mystery/romance, and I enjoyed this new series a lot.
Private Lessons, by Cynthia Salasay. So…the main character was pretty unlikable for me and she just sort of let life happen to her, so I wasn’t a fan.
The Grim Reader, by Kate Carlisle (review forthcoming). I haven’t read any of this series, and I found things a little too good to be true, putting me squarely on the fence with this one.
Red Sky Over Hawaii, by Sarah Ackerman (review forthcoming). I very much enjoyed this tale set in Hawaii around the time of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Very well done!
The Talking Drum, by Lisa Braxton. This is a vividly multicultural tale set in the 1970s and is a solid historical read.
What Unbreakable Looks Like, by Kate McLaughlin (review forthcoming). I thought this was a fantastic read, about a girl rescued from human trafficking and how she heals and starts living again.
A Royal Kiss and Tell, by Julia London (review forthcoming). I didn’t care for either of the MCs through most of the book, finding them entirely too self-absorbed and superficial, but there was a lot of character growth towards the end.
The Woman in the Green Dress, by Tea Cooper (review forthcoming). I enjoyed this novel set in two time periods in Australia, although it took a bit to get going. A female taxidermist, a hunt for opals, and a mystery all round out the action here.
The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by Daven McQueen (review forthcoming). A poignant read dealing with racism in the south in the 1950s.
More than Neighbors, by Shannon Stacey (review forthcoming). This was a solid romance featuring next-door neighbors.
That Summer in Maine, by Brianna Wolfson (review forthcoming). I didn’t care for these characters and found the whole set-up a bit unbelievable.
The Mountains Wild, by Sarah Stewart Taylor (review forthcoming). Loved the Irish setting, and I never figured out who the killer was. I ended up enjoying this a lot.
She’s Faking It, by Kristin Rockaway (review forthcoming). This reminded me vaguely of Flirting with 40. I enjoyed it and it made me laugh out loud several times.
The Dilemma, by B.A. Paris (review forthcoming). I found the wife to be absolutely self-centered and selfish, and, while I liked the husband, the whole idea behind this story was a bit hard for me to believe (Okay, a lot hard for me to believe.).
Dark August, by Katie Tallo (review forthcoming). This was an interesting thriller, but unlike anything I’ve read before. I’m still not sure what I think about it.
The Last Curtain Call, by Juliet Blackwell (review forthcoming). I’m new to this series, but that wasn’t really a problem. This was an easy read with some amusing bits, but I probably won’t read more of this series.
Death of a Wandering Wolf, by Julie Buckley (review forthcoming). This is the second in a series, and I can’t wait to read the first one, and whatever’s next. Loved the Hungarian culture in this, and it was just a fun read!
The Finders, by Jeffrey B. Burton (review forthcoming). This is the start of a new series, and one I’m eager to continue reading. Of course the dog, Vira, is the star, but I enjoyed her bumbling yet determined owner as well.
Crushing It, by Lorelei Parker (review forthcoming). This is like all my worse fears come to life…with an audience. A fun read with some excellent character growth. And I want to live in this neighborhood.
Dwarf Story, by W.W. Marplot (review forthcoming). This is a middle-grade fantasy adventure that was a so-so read. And it’s not listed on Goodreads that I can find, so I can’t point you in that direction. I don’t read much middle-grade, so this may just be a case of being the wrong reader for the book.
Just Because:
The Infinite Sea and The Last Star, by Rick Yancey. I ended up binging these two in one day after I enjoyed the first book so much. I didn’t really like how it ended, but the ending made sense with the story.
Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye. This is a re-read for me. Just because.
Stopped Reading/DNF:
The End of the Day, by Bill Clegg. Though the writing was excellent, I just could not get into this.
The Second Home, by Christina Clancy. Again, excellent writing, but I couldn’t get into it.
The Joyce Girl, by Annabel Abbs. This just did not capture my interest.
Little Creeping Things, by Chelsea Ichaso. Unreliable narrators are hit or miss for me. This was a miss, as there were off-hand mentions of the fire in the past…but no explanation, so I was clueless as to what was going on.
It’s been a solid writing week this week. I started doing some brief snippets to try to get a feel for the main character for the new story I’ll be starting soon. I also wrote seven book reviews and a post explaining why I rate books like I do (it’s not always only about the writing quality). Nothing prompted that post except a conversation with a friend about why I don’t finish reading every book I pick up. Here’s to more good writing weeks!
When the widowed Lord Torrington agreed to spy for the crown, he never planned to impersonate a highwayman, let alone rob the wrong carriage. Stranded on the road with an unconscious young woman, he is forced to propose marriage to protect his identity, as well as his dangerous mission.
Trapped by not only the duty to her country but her limited options, Miss Elizabeth Cantrell and her illegitimate son are whisked away to Middlecrest Abbey by none other than the elder brother of her son’s absent father. She is met by Torrington’s beautiful grown daughters, a vicious murderer, and an urgent hunt for the missing intelligence that could turn the war with France. Afraid of what Lord Torrington might do if he learns of her son’s true identity, Elizabeth must remain one step ahead of her fragile heart, her uncertain future, and the relentless mystery person bent on her new family’s ruin.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! Sometimes, Regency novels are hard for me to read, with all the rules and constrictions that women were subjected to, but Elizabeth is independent-thinking enough to have a mind of her own and enough courage to make her own choices.
Adrian Torrington was also not your typical Regency hero. He’s a bit older with a past he’s not proud of and a determination to change things for the better. I like that he allows Elizabeth to be herself—without compromising either of their values. This is the first thing I’ve read by this author, but I will definitely be reading more!
Abigail Wilson lives in Texas. Masquerade at Middlecrest Abbey is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)
I’d like to give a bit of explanation for my ratings in the reviews I write. I probably should have done this when I started rating reviews…but it seemed self-explanatory. Except my ratings are more nuanced than five stars=a spectacular book. I read a lot. Like, a lot. But just because I loved a book, doesn’t mean you will. And just because something bothered me in a book, doesn’t mean it will bother a single other person on the planet. A review is an opinion, and we all know what they say about opinions.
It’s highly unlikely you’ll ever see a one- or two-star rating on a review here. Because if I think the writing is that bad, or I dislike the content that much, I won’t finish reading the book. (It took me years—most of my life—to embrace the freedom of not finishing a book that was a bad choice for me.) Writing is hard work, and I refuse to give a bad review to a book just because I don’t like it a bit. That’s disrespectful to the author and the work that went into creating the book. And, just because I don’t care for the book, doesn’t mean you won’t, either.
So, as a general guideline:
-5 stars means I loved the book. It might have a few issues, but I loved it anyway.
-4 stars means I liked the book, possibly loved parts of it. A solid read.
-3 stars means I thought it was good enough to finish—but there was something I
didn’t really care for (could have been a writing issued, could have been a character
I found annoying). The writing might have been superb—which I’ll mention—but if
the MC is whiny and annoying, that detracts enough that it knocked the rating
down.
-anything with a decimal number means it leaned towards the next number up (So,
the character was annoying, but not that annoying.).
Again, my reviews are my opinions. We don’t all have the same tastes or pet peeves or preferences. That’s what makes us individuals. If you think my 3-star rating is wrong on a book, please tell me why. Maybe your insight into the character I disliked will change my mind. Anything is possible.
Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.
One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England’s finest novelists. Now it’s home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen’s legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen’s home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.
This was such a lovely read! I enjoyed reading each of the characters and their thoughts, and I think Ms. Jenner did her love for Jane Austen credit with this novel. Honestly, this felt almost like an Austen novel, with its village charm and intriguing characters. It’s wonderful to see such a diverse cast of characters—a farmer, a doctor, a movie star, a domestic worker—all brought together by their love of Austen.
Go read this as soon as possible!
Natalie Jenner has been a lawyer, a career coach, and founded an independent bookstore. The Jane Austen Society is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)
When Eleanor Hardwicke’s beloved father dies, her world is further shattered by a gut-wrenching secret: the man she’s grieving isn’t really her dad. Eleanor was the product of an affair and her biological father is still out there, living blissfully with the family he chose. With her personal life spiraling, a desperate Eleanor seeks him out, leading her to uncover another branch on her family tree—an infuriatingly enviable half sister.
Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. All of it stolen from Eleanor, who plans to take it back. After all, good sisters are supposed to share. And quiet little Eleanor has been waiting far too long for her turn to play.
This wasn’t a good choice for me to read. Despite the excellent writing, I did not like any of the characters. Eleanor was creepy and obsessive and kind of crazy. Her family was awful. She makes horrible choices and doesn’t care about anyone but herself. Self-destructive is her life story, along with feeling sorry for herself. This didn’t end like I expected, which was nice, but it didn’t make up for my dislike of the characters.
Hannah Mary McKinnor was born in the U.K. and now lives in Canada. Sister Dear is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Mira in exchange for an honest review.)
I am continuing to take a break from writing—except for four book reviews. I did type the summary ending to the King Arthur story into the draft, and thought about some of the problems with the draft, but that’s it. I’m brainstorming my next story and re-reading a draft I want to edit and polish next.
It’s been sixteen years since Caretta “Cara” Rutledge has returned home to the beautiful shores of Charleston, South Carolina. Over those years, she has weathered the tides of deaths and births, struggles and joys. And now, as Cara prepares for her second wedding, her life is about to change yet again.
Meanwhile, the rest of the storied Rutledge family is also in flux. Cara’s niece Linnea returns to Sullivan’s Island to begin a new career and an unexpected relationship. Linnea’s parents, having survived bankruptcy, pin their hopes and futures on the construction of a new home on Ocean Boulevard. But as excitement over the house and wedding builds, a devastating illness strikes the family and brings plans to a screeching halt. It is under these trying circumstances that the Rutledge family must come together yet again to discover the enduring strength in love, tradition, and legacy from mother to daughter to granddaughter.
Like the sea turtles that come ashore annually on these windswept islands, three generations of the Rutledge family experience a season of return, rebirth, and growth.
As a former environmental biology major with a love of the ocean, I loved the conservation and environmental aspects of this. And I really wanted to pack up and go live on a barrier island. I cannot imagine how wonderful it would be to wake up to the ocean at sunrise every morning.
I enjoyed Cara’s story the most, but Linnea’s struggles were totally relatable. I couldn’t quite relate to the wealth and privilege of some of the characters, but family expectations? Absolutely. This was a quick, uncomplicated read—and yes, it would be a perfect beach read!
Mary Alice Monroe is a bestselling author and a conservationist. On Ocean Boulevard is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)
After seventeen-year-old Claire Alalay’s father’s death, only music has helped her channel her grief. Claire likes herself best when she plays his old piano, a welcome escape from the sadness — and her traditional Filipino mother’s prayer groups. In the hopes of earning a college scholarship, Claire auditions for Paul Avon, a prominent piano teacher, who agrees to take Claire as a pupil. Soon Claire loses herself in Paul’s world and his way of digging into a composition’s emotional core. She practices constantly, foregoing a social life, but no matter how hard she works or how well she plays, it seems impossible to gain Paul’s approval, let alone his affection.
I really loved the premise of this novel. But Claire was a really unlikable character for me. I thought her struggles with her Filipino heritage (and people’s reactions to her appearance) were well-done and vivid, but for the most part, Claire was a selfish, unpleasant person who let life happen to her.
The assault was beyond her control, but in every other part of her life, she just goes along, emotionally distant, without taking ownership of her life and actions. She’s horrible to her best friend. She’s selfish and greedy with her mother—and outright rude and hurtful. She’s oblivious of what everyone else around her wants, focusing instead on her own wants. She lackadaisical towards her music, so it made that—the vast majority of the book—not believable to me.
Claire just made this book not a good fit for me.
Cynthia Salaysay is a registered nurse. Private Lessons is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 