The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese

 

It is not only friendship that ties the characters of Ingrid, Cece, and Joel together. It is an undying love of words-written, spoken, and unspoken. The relationship of Joel and Ingrid is torn apart and left to wither away. The loss of Cece furthers the divide until a lost letter and a manuscript bring them back face to face. It is a long, arduous journey for both of them filled with grief, sorrow, regrets.

This is a novel I will cherish and reread several times. It touches the heart and soul of a reader with the beauty of its words.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan

 

North of Nowhere is an exhilarating, thrilling ride from page one. There are a lot of characters involved in the search for siblings. Some are good guys, others are more than horrible. Ms. Brennan keeps excellent track of the characters with a tight narrative. I honestly could not read without momentarily stopping to catch my breath.

Home to River's Edge by Nan Rhinehart

 

Returning home to River’s Edge, Jazz is a hurt and confused mess. She did the right thing but lost her boyfriend, her life, and her friends in Washington, DC. Meeting up with Eli before anyone else brought both of them to a pact to move forward with their lives. A marvelous story, engaging and heartwarming.

Be My Baby by Dakota Harrison

 

Such a beautiful and charming story telling about a woman who wants a baby, of the man she has asked, and of the building of feelings between each other. 

Max has been living with grief over his wife’s passing. Millie wants a baby and Max is the one she wants to ask to be the daddy. When she asks Max, it is the very thing he needs to get his life back. In the back of his heart he has always had a thing for Millie. If only she shared his feelings. Spicy scenes.

The Wedding at Moonglow Bay by Lori Wilde

 

The perfect life of a widow is shattered when her long gone, assumed dead husband appears just hours after her wedding to his older brother. She is thrown into a serious dilemma and must find her way to a place of peace regardless of the outcome. Tender and touching moments throughout.

Shopping with the Enemy by Carmen Reid

 

Funny story! The trials and tribulations of Annie and Svetlana as they travel to Austria to get her kidnapped sons are up against those of daughters Lauren and Elena and friend Gracie as they race to get a new line for their and their mother’s fashion business. Comical trouble assaults them all. 

The Prospector's Only Prospect by Dani Collins

 

Such a delightfully great story full of funny scenes, tense scenes, and touching scenes. The character of Marigold is smart and a spitfire. Virgil may seem sullen and cranky but it is a mask to keep things steady at his mining camp. They play off each other creating a refreshing historical take on love.

The House in the Olive Grove by Emma Cowell

 An absorbing story drawing on new friendships, relationships astray, and love lost but not forgotten.

The weeklong cooking lesson in Greece has an impact on three women: Maria the chef, Kayla the cookbook writer and TV personality, and Alessandra an artist. The magic of Maria’s honey, spices, and intuition has an effect on Kayla and Alessandra that neither anticipate.

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

Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale

 

Cassandra has an absolutely horrible day losing her boyfriend, her job, and her room to rent. The next day , everything changes and she is back to the day before. She learns she can go back in time instantly and change outcomes. The book tells a story of what she did differently, the outcomes, and through it all, her learning about herself and growing as a result. 

It was a cute book but rather boring at times. 

Eternally Single by Neerja Pawar

 

Cute rom-com novel combining romance, friends, and insecurities. Rosa right in the middle of all of them. She has a unique job that she has lied to her parents in Mexico about. At twenty-seven they-especially her mother-have opinions on everything. Rosa is deathly afraid they will be decidedly disappointed with her and her job. When it all explodes, she is at a loss as to what to do to make it alright again.

Spring's Mystical Promise by Leigh Ann Edwards

 

In a pact made in the moonlight with a witch, four friends agreed to live each other's life for a season. Two seasons have passed and the third transformation occurs. For Rhianwyn, it is a horrible three months to live. She is burdened with a horrible brute of a husband. Plus, her friend, as Rhianwyn, is taking all sorts of liberties with Rhianwyn’s husband. Trouble and near death happens. I cannot wait for the final installment in The Maiden’s of the Mystical Stones series. 

Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood

 

A heartbreaking novel jumping through then and now vignettes of Grace Adams that threads a story of loss, depression, abuse, love, and fear. A day in the life of Grace moves through the vignettes trying to create a picture

that explains Grace’s current situation and emotional status.

As I read, I kept attempting to pull the pieces of Grace together from the segments. I was lost until the reason for her behavior is explored almost at the end of the book. Then, it became clear but at the cost  of losing my interest.

The Hundred Loves of Juliet by Evelyn Skye

 

Time holds no bounds for Romeo, forever loving Juliet as he lives immortally. He hopes with every reincarnation of Juliet that the curse they are under will end. Their story always ends tragically. When he meets Helene (Juliet), he tries to turn her away to save her from the destiny he has witnessed time and again. The eternal flame of love will not be extinguished. They can only hope that this time will be different. 

A wonderful, different love story of enduring love through the ages.

The Seaside Library by Brenda Novak

 

A novel of friends, of a mysterious death, and of it all coming to a head many years later. A young girl disappeared one summer night, her body never recovered until the summer Cam, Ariana, and Ivy reconnected. The girl’s sister, Jewel, is all over the media again accusing Cam. What really did happen that night? Who is lying and who is telling the truth? An electrifying novel of friends who will do anything for each other.

House of Clouds by KL Gleeson

 

A lovely, touching novel that captures the heart and flows into it. The blend of art, music, and literature that stream through the story is almost magical. It is the story of Kate and Ethan with other wonderful characters supporting them throughout. Simply a captivating story.

A Homecoming Mantra by Sapna Srinivasan

 

The great stories of finding love in the Sood Family series continue in A Homecoming Mantra. Shaan Sood and Claire Wellington form a relationship after he seeks her out for horse riding lessons for his struggling daughter. Claire is perfect for Shaan but his ex-wife may be out to destroy everything.

A Sprinkle of Spring by Melissa McClone

 

The fourth novel in the Silver Falls series, A Sprinkle of Spring sees an arrogant LA surgeon and a pet groomer at odds with each other. Flynn is overworked and falling apart. When he and Anna are named godparents to his sister’s baby, they are deemed the baby shower creators. Anna is bubbly and creative and ready to start. Flynn is not; he gives Anna money and checks out back to his work packed life. A turn of events lands him back in Silver Falls paying the piper and facing Anna. Cupid’s arrow strikes both of them but there is too much stuff blocking the arrow from completely piercing its mark.

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan

 

I am still sighing with joy and contentment after finishing Same Time Next Summer. It is such a marvelous book with fabulous, touching characters, thoughts, and dialog. I loved the relationship of Wyatt and Samantha (Sam) and the way they came together both as kids and as adults. Jack is the perfect foil for Wyatt. He is a planning master to Wyatt’s ease of life. A thoroughly enjoyable, well worth your time novel.

Penny for Your Heart by Season Vining

 

To be honest, I have not read any novels with LBGTQ themes so I am going to treat this as the romances I have read. That being said, the story line was interesting-old friends reconnect but one does not appear very happy at the onset. Penny is ecstatic to see Misa after fourteen years of missing her. Misa ignores their past of a very close friendship until she no longer can. Spicy scenes involved along with a male predator.

Talk of the Town by Jennifer Bardsley

 

Peter loves Noelle. Noelle is a widow clueless to Peter’s feelings. That is until Peter’s sister, Vanessa, writes an entry on the local mom’s Facebook page announcing open season for dating Peter. Now Peter is clueless about the single women after him. Noelle feels jealous. Game on.

A delightful story of love, of family (good and terrible), and of friendship. Very enjoyable.

The Block Party by Jamie Day

 

Great premise: annual Memorial Day block party ends with murder and anyone could be the deceased, anyone from the block could be the guilty party. Told in two different years-the year before and the present year, so many actions by the players may be nefarious. Or, maybe it is just gossip fueled suggestions. Action slows at times, never seeming to connect and only adding more perpetrators.

Her Cowboy Baby Daddy by Jeannie Watt

 

A wonderful and touching story of a woman shying away from relationships and a man who does not stay put for very long. The romance is in the yearning with feelings neither one saw coming. Hayley and Spence are at war with emotions but in love with them anyway.

Nursing the Flame by Shelli Stevens

 

Nursing the Flame is sure not an overstatement in this spicy, sexy novel. The flames between Amber and Reggie are hot, hot, hot. They just about burn up the bed when she volunteers to assist him when he is hurt battling a fire. Even future complications cannot put out the the fire of desire.

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman

 

Rock and roll, nostalgia and love flow through Charm City Rocks at a delightful pace. The characters are awesome and great. The relationships of Billy, Margot, Robyn, Lawson, Caleb. and Poppy are full of touching and quirky predicaments. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

The Deja Glitch by Holly James

 

A delightful tale of time looping around until true love finally happens. Poor Jack has been living the same day over and over and over. The one constant is meeting Gemma everyday. Of course, she is unaware of it all until Jack clues her in. He is certain there is something about Gemma that is involved in his dilemma. He is determined to make Gemma believe, hard as it might be, until something, anything stops the loop.

The Perfectly Simple Complicated Life of Maggie Halloran by Trish Morey

 

The simple and lovely life of retired Maggie is disrupted and chaotic after her entitled pregnant daughter and demanding mother move into Maggie’s once comfortable home and life. A very trying time for Maggie ensues, tortuous at times, hopeful at others creating an engaging novel. Sure, you may want to shake some sense into Maggie or tell off her mother and daughter (her ex Alex, too) but what is a story without some turmoil and head shaking? Plus, there is Mitch!

Kiss Me Under the Irish Sky by Karen Foley

 

A sweet, sweet story of love blossoming under the Irish sky. Rachel is finishing her masters by interning at a tactile mill in Ireland. The beauty of the land surrounds her as she falls in love with Ireland and with Conall, a local man of red hair and blue eyes and a personality to beat all others. She, however, is due back to Chicago in three months and fights her feelings to no avail. It will take a miracle to solve her dilemma: Chicago or Conall.