Told completely from one perspective (Hazel’s), this is a funny, spicy story of Hazel and Beck. He is a nerdy, to a himself kind of guy and is so polite. Hazel is off men because they are all animals. Then, she commits to being Beck’s fake wife and it is a crazy, spicy take off from there. They learn so much from each other and it is life altering.
A very delightful story of a street cat bringing together five people, all of whom need something. Nuria is a street cat feeder for a local humane society. She is bothered by her mother’s over concern. Colin is an introverted author falling for Nuria even though he has only seen her from his apartment window. Bong runs the local bodega and is grieving for his deceased wife. Omar is the mail carrier who longs for a different job. Lily is Nuria’s unknown half-sister. All of them journey toward friendship through Cat.
The daughter of a domineering, forceful, society mother finally has her chance to come out from under the thumb that pressures her into place. Mack loves her mother but bristles under her constant criticism and push to conform to the rules of the upper crust society of Beaufort and Charleston. Magnolia can be unfeeling and driven to control twenty-eight year old Mack.
The story relates the deep struggles between daughter and mother with all the mistakes and outcomes, delving into the impact of upper crust demands.
It is a great book to read.
A wonderful, lovely heart wrenching book that will touch your heart. Two people-a woman who is in the deep grips of grief from her best friend’s dying and a man trying to form a relationship with his half-sister and her daughter-slowly but surely work together using their strengths to try and bring wholeness into their lives. Truly a touching story.
An engrossing story of fractured sibling relationships and of the things that caused their separation. It is a messy story and also a very endearing telling of the sibling reunion, the troubles each one has of their own, and the chance of a reconciliation.
I am usually a fan of Jilly’s books but this one did not pull me in. The subject of AltR and a woman’s use of it was interesting. To sum up the story: the grass is always better on the other side until you are on that side.
War torn, Nazi occupied Italy is the scene for this book. Family, love, revenge, and horror lead a story of a small town tormented by a moral less Nazi leader who ushers in evil and murder. The Capladi family stands at the core of resistance, forging on despite fear of retribution. A moving story of resilience.
If you are looking for a very deep and emotional great read, this is the book you want. The story will stay with you for a long time. There is love, joy, sorrow, regret, deception. The beautiful descriptions play against the sadness, remorse and guilt. The story revolves around a love triangle and tragedy. The characters are well defined and consistent. It is not an easy read but it is one you will not want to put down.
Over the course of three days, the relationship between exes is viewed from several viewpoints- the early relationship, the marriage, and the current relationship. They are together for their daughter’s wedding and he is having to stay at his ex’s home. The main female character began to grate on my nerves with her assumptions and lack of seeing a different viewpoint. Her own regret peppers her reactions and there is a certain level of the inability to separate her mistakes from the present. I can not say I really enjoyed the book because of this.
A touching and sometimes hard story of a man in his sixties reconnecting with his first wife, the love of his life. Forty years after their separation and divorce, he finds her and sets out to woo and court her. Her life has been hard-never enough money, living at just above poverty with her daughter and two children. The love of her daughter and children sustain her through it all. Flashbacks to their marriage and to his life unfold a story in a natural flow toward the possibility of a second chance. Alcoholism plays a major part in the story.
An amazing novel of the story of a family heirloom jug that ties a family together over the ages. Its fracture during a home invasion robbery and murder of a son drives the family apart. The young daughter witnessed the murder and is hounded by the press throughout her life as her wealthy family struggles to find a new normal. Guilt is at the center of each person, rocking them to the core. A very moving story.
A mystical, dangerous adventure to remove a one hundred year old curse sends this story into a whirlwind of perilous trials for a young witch and the male witch she rescues. He is the source of the curse and is necessary to ending it. She is powerful but has been held back by her aunt. It is up to her to grasp a hold of her power, work with the rescued witch, and strive to survive a series of trials to end the ramifications of the spell once and for all.
When I finished this novel, I let the story resonate within me. It is a deeply moving and emotional story of a deeply in love separated couple who had grown apart with a chasm so wide that there was no way to cross it. The story is filled with so much sadness and yet there are moments of joy, also. The “Then” and “Now’ chapters delicately tie together so as to portray the absolute depth of the character’s emotions and actions.It is a definitely not to miss novel.
Magical cookies may be the answer to bringing love to a tea shop worker. The problem is the recipient never seems to get to eat any. She tries several times to unite the man with the cookies but someone else always gets them. All along, and without the aid of magic, they are forming a relationship. Cute story.
Hiding from an abusive, belligerent father, Shelly settled in Clam Cove and safety. With her service dog, she daily copes with anxiety. Meeting shy Max brings her joy and the feeling of security with him. But, her father looms over her happiness. A cozy mystery with romance and a fight to overcome fear.
Alice and Robbie got off on the way wrong foot in their first encounter. She is in Edinburgh to start a three week literary tour in Scotland, England, and Wales. Robbie, it seems, is the tour guide. Days of antagonist barbs turns to romance. All the while, Alice is finding her true self with the help of the senior tour participants and Robbie.
A terrific young adult novel with a second chance flair. For Zac and Melody, it has been a ten year gap since he bungled the chance to finally win her. His mistake left her feeling bereft and unloveable. A disaster of a camping trip brings them the chance to recapture the lost years but all is not easy or uncomplicated.
Teenage enemies to lovers romance begins with a boyfriend’s betrayal and a desperate move for revenge. Jensen, the boyfriend, tries out for and wins a coveted spot on the high school podcast. His girlfriend, Findley, has been practicing for this opportunity for a long time. Seeking revenge, she enlists her friends and his archenemy to win a coveted spot on the football team-Jensen’s spot. Romance intrudes on the plan and Findley is the prize.
The mix of the incredible and the story of a budding love blend together to create a delightful romance.
An endearing second chance romance. Married after a one month whirlwind romance, Eve found the weeks apart from Foster to be seriously hard. She felt second to his motorcycle daredevil career. After three lonely months, she left him and divorced. However, the love never died and when he is seriously injured in a stunt gone wrong, she is enlisted to nurse him back to health. Life then takes many turns for both of them.
A very sweet and engaging romance.
The sweetness of a second chance romance shines through the pages. The love for a widow and her son pull a rugged cowboy to a love decision to woo and court the widow not sure if she has feelings for him. She senses her heart is coming alive and knows he already cares for her son. Mistletoe encourages kisses and new love.
An abusive ex-boyfriend stalks his ex-girlfriend with evil in his heart. Hanna is shaken when she almost gets run over. Her grandfather’s dog pulls her out of danger. The real danger still persists and her father hires a local private investigator, Blake, (also their neighbor’s son who has a clingy ex-girlfriend to contend with) to dig into the hit and run. Romance begins to stir the air in this cozy mystery.
A delightful children’s Christmas book. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is right out of a child’s imagination. I loved it so much that I bought a copy to read to my grandchildren.
The crash and burn of Felicity’s London life is the beginning to an adventure she never would have imagined. Selling her London condo and buying a sight unseen farm in the countryside ushers in a life completely different for her. It also brings Jesse, a man of depth and true character. A captivating story from start to finish.
A beautifully told story of the bond of sisters hundreds of years apart. The two sets of sisters have an unusual characteristic: they live on land but yearn to be in water. Being in water is problematic as water causes their skin to flake and painfully peel. The two current time sisters have dreams of the other two, of the hardships they faced and of the arduous journey they made captive on a ship from Ireland to Australia.
The enduring qualities of sisterhood bind the sisters together and their experiences create an unbelievably engaging story.
An overworked, job weary man meets an enthusiastic barista at an airport coffee bar. She relates stories of her time on a coffee farm in Guatemala. Her desire to return coupled with his work weary mind bring them to exit life in the States and embark on a journey to change. The adjustment to life in Guatemala for him is arduous and good. Their love flourishes among the kind and generous natives.
To me, it seemed the relationship formed rather quickly with only twice a week meetings in the airport. Time jumped without due notice. What seemed like a week was a month, a month a year. The descriptions of Guatemala are wonderful. There is quite a bit discussion of coffee bean harvesting.
Love takes center stage in this story of a mayor and a PR fixer working together to save an in danger event. Chemistry is instant for Liv and Artur when they meet. She is the one for him and he for her but there is a lot of work to be done first.
Two families have formed an ugly, fraught relationship over the years. The son and daughter of their opposing families have found a deep connection that never should have been. The ups and downs of their budding relationship are all centered around the family hatred. Will the family bondage of the family loosen enough to allow them to survive as a couple?
An emotional tale like Romeo and Juliet in a modern setting.
What an absolutely wonderful and tug on your heart strings novel. Eddie is ninety and has never been kissed. Bella is nineteen and grieving the death of her boyfriend. They meet when she drops off her boyfriend’s effects at the charity shop where Eddie works. As their friendship develops and grows, you learn about them and see the closeness grow. It is a touching look at two unlikely individuals helping each other with life.
The second book in The Lost Bride Trilogy does not fail. Sonya, Cloe, Trey, and Owen learn more about the events of the past history of the house and the curse of Hester Dobbs. Hester is pure evil and trapped in the Lost Brides Mansion to her own accord. She creates havoc and noise. Sonya and Cloe are determined to find out the key to ending the curse and every tidbit of information begins to build on ideas.
I eagerly anticipate the last book to tie it all together.
The story is close to a second chance romance but the first chance did not happen. It could have though. Allison was a young teen when she met older Jess on her grandfather’s Colorado ranch. When he dies, Allison finds herself back at the ranch with Jess. She cannot hide her feelings for him. Jess is battling his own for her. When the unexpected happens, emotional chaos begins. Great story.
August and Sloane. She has crushed on him since her teens. He also crushed on her but pushed the feelings way down and married someone else. Thrown together for a social media blitz, their chemistry is way over the top. They are still in denial. A Spicy and fun romance.
The events at Christmas bring together the lost children of Heather to celebrate the season and witness a wedding. Finding out that they were triplets was devastating for the triplets and even more impacting for their mother Heather. In this story, coming together can be a time for healing and acceptance. Heather’s guardianship daughter, Em, is in fear of losing Heather to her biological children even though Heather assures her of her love. A former foster child of Heather, Colt, estranged from both Heather and Em, is also part of the healing and of restoring his place with Em. Throw in a huge surprise, this book is a wonderful telling of family, Christmas, and love.
Spicy and sweet tale of a mother, a father, a baby and their struggles. As financial worries pile up, Taylor and Loretts work to find ways to make ends meet. Loretta has doubts springing up about their relationship. Taylor is as sure as ever.
A wonderful story of their relationship and of them making mistakes and always trying to find their way together.
A Southern Christmas is a wonderful set of novellas. Each novella has a special nod to the South at Christmas. The stories are engaging, captivating, and full of romance.
Oh, how I loved this story of developing love and the complications that might arise. The impetus for the love is an abandoned baby that binds a widow and his six year old daughter to the woman the baby is left to. The joy of their budding feelings is hampered by the fact that he is a temporary vet and destined to leave when his time is up. The pull to stay is strong and the desire to set down roots is starting to form. If only there was a way.
An emotional story that will fill your heart with hope of a heart hugging ending. The story is filled with the love of family, the fears of decisions, and the determination to overcome obstacles and roadblocks.
Joey (Joanna) and Nash were deeply in love. He broke her heart when he left to protect her. Coming back, Val is not ready to trust that he will not leave again no matter how much he pleads his case. Plus, she is pregnant with their baby so there is another person to be concerned with. Danger still surrounds Nash and he is determined to dig through everything to find the true guilty party. Can Joey rebuild her trust in Nash? Is his love true? A captivating story.
A marriage of convenience is on for pregnant Val and Liam. For Val, it is a way for her baby to be born in marriage, just not to the biological father. For Liam, it is a way to persuade his widowed mother to remarry. Things are great for Val and Liam until the baby’s father starts making huge waves.
A delightfully sinister mystery with bodies piling up at an overnight dinner celebration. It seems no one is safe and everyone is trapped in a Chappaquiddick mansion. The ending is a total surprise.
A journey of a lifetime begins with a single step. For Lucie, it is a journey to her ex husband's wedding. Traveling through France with her very pregnant daughter and her neurodiverse nephew, things get exciting. The journey has bumps and bruises as it continues bringing new emotions and life changing decisions. A thoroughly engaging novel.
An engaging story that looks at the complications of a family that changes when orphan teen girls are adopted. The two biological teen sisters resent the addition of the girls and their behavior reflects their resentment and their privilege. It is a telling remark and contrasts with the behavior of the adopted daughters. Their mother struggles with her own lack of judgment in raising her biological daughters, indulging their every whim. The road to creating a cohesive family is long and painful.
Such a sweet and cute romance. Emma works with the Girls and Grit ranch with the broncos. Noah is just discharged from the Seals. Both have insecurities about life and work. They have chemistry together but he feels he has nothing to offer. There is love building if they can only reach out and grab hold.
A completely engrossing story of the lives of a mother, her daughter, and the mystery of her mother’s life. The conversations are short and to the point. The narration follows the same pattern. It is loaded with successes and disappointments. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the format.
A cute story of how a soldier’s lost diary brings renewed life to a young journalist. The diary was lost during WWII and the grandson of the man who had the diary returns it to a woman in a small English town. Her granddaughter is tasked with reading the diary. The reading begins a journey for her of discovery and love.
I would rate it higher but there is too much rambling and filler than I considered necessary.
I read through three of the recounts of innocent victims convicted of crimes they did not commit. I was unable to read any more as the ineptness and racism in each crime turned my stomach as they should to anyone who reads this book. I can say that if true crime and proving the innocence is something you would read, this book would be number one on the list.
The town of River's Edge welcomes grieving young widow Harper into its fold. She is lost without the life she and her husband planned. When she meets Christmas lover and woodworker Cam, she finds a friend to listen to her. Slowly her walls begin to fall but her grief still lingers. Cam, she finds, is the best man to reckon with and handsome, too. A very sweet and moving Christmas romance.
