The Catch by Alison Fairbrothers

 

A rather interesting novel that traces a twenty-four year old's search for who her father left his lucky baseball to after he unexpectedly dies.
Ellie is a millennial caught up in a life of new journalism, of seeking the most clicked on story , and of falling in love with a married man. At the core is a young woman at odds with what she thought she knew but really did not.

The Unmatchmakers by Jackie Lau

 

This is the funniest book. I laughed out loud so many times. The characters are great and delightful.

Three lifelong friends have bought a lakeside vacation home and gather together there with their adult kids. Two of the kids, Neil and Leora, find an instant attraction to the chagrin of theri “No relationship is a good relationship” mothers. The mother’s antics ensue as they try to separate Neil and Leora. But,if you force it too far, expect disastrous results.

I have already found another Jackie Lau novel to read because laughter is always good.

The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader

 

Grieving the death of their beloved mother, Abbie and Clara are hit with a huge secret when movie star Kitty shows up at their mother’s funeral. The women are mystified as to why Kitty is there. Kitty knows her information and history with their mother will be an enormous shock.

The story of Kitty, BettyKay, and Jenny is one of friendship and care. It is an engaging tale of bonding, of support, and of secrets. Very, very enjoyable.

Ride with Me by Lucy Keating

 

I found Ride with Me to be a very engaging young adult novel with an engaging story and characters. Seventeen year old Charlie drives for Backseat, a local rideshare in her small town. Her desire is to earn enough money to get away and travel. Her thoughts and decisions go through many currents when she has to drive Andre, a fellow student, everywhere. He challenges her as much as she challenges him.

What Eden Did Nest by Sheila O'Flanaghan

 

A long novel that stalls out several times in the storyline. There is so much aggravating family intrusion and manipulation that is bothersome.

As the story goes, friends until age ten when Eden was uprooted from her home in Galway, she and Mac (Rafe) reconnect twenty years later. Both are widowed with small daughters. They develop a new relationship based on mutual attraction. His family and her in-laws butt in at every chance. Her mother-in-law is especially manipulative and always inserting what Eden’s deceased husband would want. All you want is for Eden to stand up to her and tell her to back off.

The Montana Rancher by Paula Altenburg

 

Secretive Ryan holds the reins on how the money for Endeavor Ranch is used by him, Dan and Dallas. He is closed off but trusting of his two friends. Marriage and especially family are not for him. 

Enter Elizabeth, hired as the social worker for the ranch’s boys home and the only female on the property. Also enter a love Ryan cannot stop even if he tried.

A story of walls being breached and of life being changed and of answers finally given. Great story and characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

How to Fake It in Hollywood by

 

A very engrossing novel detailing the tumultuous relationship of two actors who have been brought together by their mutual PR agent. Very high highs battle with very low lows creating a novel you won’t put down.

The Vanishing Tide by Hillary Tailor

 

A story filled with secrets, insecurities, jealousy and mystique. The telling became tiresome and too drawn out. It is not until the last third of the book to really get going. Then it turns into a very interesting book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Summer Love Affair by Holly Chamberlain

A Summer Love Affair is an engaging story of how four women learn to cope with a long buried secret that changes everything they thought they knew.

Elizabeth has finally come to relate the biological father of her youngest daughter, Petra. There was never a doubt that her father, Hugh, was not her true father. Elizabeth had had a short lived affair with Chris, her husband’s best friend who she always loved even though she married Hugh. The relating of the affair affects her daughters in ways relative to their personalities. Petra is searching for her purpose and finding and getting to know her father is what she needs. Cam has marriage struggles of her own and is more grounded in the secret and in her advice. Jess is a no gray area woman and feels betrayed by her mother’s affair. Elizabeth is hopeful the revelation will not permanently change her relationships with her daughters. The story is an examination of the interactions between mothers and daughters when life is not all it seems to be.

A Summer Love Affair is an engaging story of how four women learn to cope with a long buried secret that changes everything they thought they knew.

Elizabeth has finally come to relate the biological father of her youngest daughter, Petra. There was never a doubt that her father, Hugh, was not her true father. Elizabeth had had a short lived affair with Chris, her husband’s best friend who she always loved even though she married Hugh. The relating of the affair affects her daughters in ways relative to their personalities. Petra is searching for her purpose and finding and getting to know her father is what she needs. Cam has marriage struggles of her own and is more grounded in the secret and in her advice. Jess is a no gray area woman and feels betrayed by her mother’s affair. Elizabeth is hopeful the revelation will not permanently change her relationships with her daughters. The story is an examination of the interactions between mothers and daughters when life is not all it seems to be.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Escape Girl by Michelle Dayton

 

Running away from a husband she really loves, Emily has spent the last six months working almost round the clock at her lawyer job. Then Bella comes in with a case of stolen coding property and Emily knows she must take the case.

It leads her to Chicago from New York and running into her husband, Bobby. Things really get interesting from there.

I loved both sides of the story-the coding case and the Bobby and Emily relationship. Just the descriptions of Emily’s struggles, fears, and love are perfect reading. I began to really care for Emily and Bobby and to root for them.

Flirting with Fifty by Jane Porter

 

What an amazing novel. The details and expressions of all the jumble of emotions felt by the main characters were extremely well written and on point.

Paige Newsome, professor of mathematics, is a complex woman. She adores her work and her three grown daughters each with their own personalities. She is thrown for a complete loop when she learns she is to team teach with Jack King, a man she knew very intimately thirty years ago in Paris. Their chemistry is still off the charts but a lousy marriage and an even worse husband has created walls around Paige’s heart. Jack is determined to really get to know her and she utterly disrupts his world and life.

You will definitely enjoy watching their relationship evolve, even with all of Paige’s struggles and doubts.

Full Texas Throttle by Katherine Garbera

 

Confusion and the future plague both Finn and Lancey as they try to navigate a relationship that may never get off the ground. Racy sex scenes.

An Island Summer by Jenny Hale

A delightful novel with wonderful characters and plot. When her life has not turned out as she expected, Meghan returns to the Outer Banks home that her grandfather left her to sort out what she should do. While there, she becomes part of an Alzheimer patient, Rupert’s life, portraying an actress friend of his in the memories he relives. She has encounters with his grandson, Toby, as she tries to solve the mysteries surrounding Rupert, the actress, her grandmother and her grandfather. Plus, there is a huge spark of electricity coming from each encounter with Toby.

Lola and the Single Dad by Kelly Hunter

 

Lola-LOLA, a showgirl- crashes into Ned's life bringing the grieved widower unexpected liveliness and sunshine, He does not know what to do with her; his almost one son does-enjoy her, engage her, love her. A wonderful, lovely and fun novel, easy to read and oh so enjoyable.

Who Do You Think You Are Maggie Pink? by Janet Hoggarth

 

Who Do You Think You Are, Maggie Pink? is a story reaching deep into the heart and soul of Maggie Pink. Regrets, deep regrets, haunt her life and temper her present. Maggie Pink finally seeks out her biological mother, Morag, and connects with her aunt, Fiona. Fiona is Maggie’s connection to Morag. When Maggie’s daughter, Roxie, chances upon Morag’s diaries, the tentacles of the contents reach across the pages and shake loose secrets, deep seated secrets, fears, and resolutions.

One Last Gift by Emily Stone

 

What an incredible novel. Told from the perspectives of Cassie and of Sam, the story speaks to the year after Cassie’s brother, Tom, leaves her one last treasure hunt as he does every Christmas. Cassie and Sam live with deep grief over Tom. Their lives intersect, never at the right time to hold and keep the love they feel.

No Way to Die by Tony Kent

A thrilling novel-explosive and suspenseful. The plot twists and turns with precision and keeps you guessing about what could happen next.

None of This Would Have Happened if Prince was Alive by Carolyn Prusa

 

Ramona is a beleaguered worker, tired wife and deeply caring mother. Her life is upended by a Category 4 hurricane, a cheating husband, a clueless boss, and a mother who decides to stay put in her island home. Driven by all circumstances wrong, she takes her evacuated family back to Savannah to rescue her mother and begin to make sense out of chaos. Some crazy funny parts will bring a chuckle.