REVIEW: If you love in depth studies on family dynamics, this book is for you. The Weight of the Heart by Susana Aikin definitely fits this description and you will want to beg, borrow or buy a copy of this book.

This book was highly descriptive. You really got to know her characters by listening to what is going on in Anna’s head. There has been rifts in the sister’s relationships since the death of their father. The book explores their relationships along with their love interests and how they let their father control them. 

The most interesting character was Delia. She was brought in to cleanse the father’s house the sisters thought might now be haunted since their father died. The book takes place over a long day of rituals, mishaps and a lot of time to think and reflect.

My favorite relationship was the one between Anna and Marcus. It was probably the most messed up relationship in the book. I’m always amazed at what people will do for love!

I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you Susana Aikin. 

Synopsis: Set in contemporary Spain, Susana Aikin’s latest novel is a colorful, beautifully written examination of memory, romance, and the intricacies of family duty. 

On a sweltering August day in Madrid, Anna, Julia, and Marion return to their childhood home. The once grand mansion, furnished with exotic objects and art that reflected the cultures of their English father and Spanish mother, once bustled with visitors. But since their father’s death, all three sisters have been reluctant to go back, still feeling the weight of his domineering influence. Julia believes that before the house can sell, it needs to be cleared of negative energy, and she has planned a limpieza, or cleaning ritual. Marion, the oldest, fears what the ceremony might unleash. Anna, the youngest and most capable and ambitious of the trio, is skeptical of the Cuban santeria hired by Julia. Still, she is wary of antagonizing her siblings or of stirring up old resentment. But as the ceremony progresses, guilt and recrimination become impossible to ignore. And if there’s a chance of bringing their house and their lives out of the shadows, it rests in the sisterhood, strength, and indomitable love that remains when the ghosts of the past surrender at last.

REVIEW: Tangled in Ivy is sure tangled up! I loved this book by Ashley Farley. This was my third book by Ms. Farley and I fell head over heels in love with each of them. If you haven’t read any of her books yet, what are you waiting for? She is a wonderful story teller and I have been totally entertained by the three books I’ve read and plan to keep reading more of her creations.

Her characters come alive and practically jump off the page into your heart. You instantly care for them and feel like you are part of the story. Her descriptions of the Lowcountry make me feel like I am back there once again. Her descriptions of surroundings are not boring and over the top. You get just enough to be able to picture the setting. I love the old homes in Charleston and enjoyed getting a glimpse of what life might have been like living in one of the grand dames.

Wow, and speaking of tangled up, this book will keep you on your toes. I promise you bored won’t be a word used to describe this story. There is a lot going on and because part of it is Lillian’s father’s memoir, it feels like it takes place during two time periods. Ivy is the name of Lillian’s mother. Life revolved around Ivy. She was a whirlwind and she kept it that way. Life was on her terms no matter what anyone else thought.

If you love a story with great characters, a little angst, a lot of love, some scandal and seeing how old money lives, you will enjoy this book. 

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher for a fair and honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review an early copy.

Synopsis: From the bestselling author of Sweet Tea Tuesdays comes a story of true love that spans decades.

Lillian Alexander’s father is dying of cancer. When he rambles on in a morphine-delirium, Lillian can’t ignore the feeling he’s trying to tell her something. At his funeral days later, she encounters ghosts from her past who stir long-suppressed memories from the day her mother died twenty-seven years ago. Why, if her mother’s death was an accident, does Lillian harbor guilt, as though she were somehow to blame?

When Lillian and her twin sister, Layla, learn the Stoney family fortune is gone, Lillian fights to save her ancestral home on Charleston’s prestigious East Battery. Desperate to resolve her money problems and get answers to her questions about the past, she tears her father’s study apart in search of clues. She discovers a thumb drive in a hollowed-out hardback copy of For Whom the Bell Tolls. The thumb drive, marked For Lillian in his handwriting, contains her father’s memoir. Secluded in the family’s cottage on Wadmalaw Island, she immerses herself in her father’s account of his stormy relationship with her mother. What she learns sets her on a journey of self-discovery.

Tangled in Ivy is a tale of tortured souls and southern family dysfunction.

REVIEW: Kimberly Belle has once again delivered! Stranger in the Lake was a good book with a different flavor from her other books. I couldn’t wait to dig in. They are all so delicious and slide right down leaving you wanting another one. 

The suspense in this book is a very gradual climb. I liked that. I liked her characters and could never figure out who the culprit was. I went back and forth and all over the place and didn’t know who did it until it was revealed. Of course, if the author doesn’t come right out and tell me at the very beginning, I never figure them out. Does that mean my mind isn’t devious?

If you haven’t read a Kimberly Belle book, you really need to. You won’t be disappointed. She always delivers a great read. Her book are entertaining and will keep you in your seat reading long after bedtime. 

I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review.  

Synopsis: When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young woman’s body floating in the exact same spot where Paul’s first wife tragically drowned.

At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police he’s never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.

As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesn’t know what to trust—her heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that there’s something he’s hiding in the water.

REVIEW: Pretty darn good! I just finished Perfectly Famous by Emily Liebert and must say I really liked the premise of the book. There were basically two writers in the story. What more could a book nerd want? Right? It held my interest and kept me entertained. This book is classified as suspense and psychological fiction. There were a few twists and turns along the way to keep me engrossed. 

The book went back and forth between the two main characters. I learned pretty quick to pay attention to the heading of the chapters. That is how you know which character you are reading about in the beginning. Once I got into the book, it wasn’t a problem.

I took a peek at her other books and it looks like this is the second book for her in this genre. If you like suspense, you will probably like this book. It was an easy story to read and a great way to pass the time. This was my first book by this author and I will be keeping an eye on her in the future. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review. 

SYNOPSIS: “gripping tale of subterfuge, betrayal, and retribution” (Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish)—comes the story of a journalist obsessed with finding a crime novelist who disappears after a deadly attack on her beloved daughter.

As a mother and a famous author, Ward DeFleur has it all. She lives in a beautiful estate in picture-perfect Connecticut, along with her teenage daughter, Stevie, where nothing can go wrong. Until, one night, when Stevie is brutally murdered and Ward’s entire world is shattered. Consumed by panic and grief, Ward vows never to put pen to paper again.

Enter Bree Bennett.

Bree is a recently-divorced, former-journalist-cum-housewife, desperate to fill her days with something other than Pilates classes and grocery shopping. So she decides to start writing for the town newspaper. What begins as Bree’s effort to tell Ward’s tragic narrative turns into a fixation with finding her favorite author. Unfortunately, Ward doesn’t want to be found. Even worse, Stevie’s killer is still on the loose…

This harrowing tale of one woman’s infatuation and another woman’s fear is full of explosive surprises, perfect for fans of The Night Olivia Fell and Then She Was Gone.

REVIEW: Wonderfully satisfying. Those were the first words to spring into my mind when I finished The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton. I loved her other books that I’ve read but, this one had a deliciously different flavor. It had angst of love gone wrong and the sorrow of long ago disagreements along with new hope and new beginnings. This book had it all and was delightfully fun to read.

Ms. Denton’s development of her characters was spot on. Lily was a level headed young woman that had experienced a few sorrows in her life. I loved reading her story and how she wound up being the resident hair dresser at retirement village. There was the owner of the village who initially came off as stern and hard but, had a soft inside. Then there were several other quirky characters you would expect to find in a retirement setting. I loved the relatable characters. 

I like that the author’s story had a lesson to learn without being in your face. She touches a lot on core values such as a love for others, acceptance, respect, forgiveness and doing the right thing. She had a nice way of showing us those things and making us want to be a better person.

I think anyone who loves a good love story, doesn’t mind older characters and likes a wholesome fun story will love this book. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book for an escape from the mundane. You’ll be glad you did!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review. 

SYNOPSIS: Sometimes it takes losing everything to find yourself again.

Lily Bishop wakes up 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 a flyer at the grocery store for a hair stylist position in a local retirement community provides a refuge while she contemplates her next steps.

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. Lily soon 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 she expected to be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than what they’ve experienced so far. The Summer House weaves Lauren K. Denton’s inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself.

REVIEW: The Good Stranger by Dete Meserve was just what I needed. After reading several heavier books, I was happy to sit down with a book that concentrates on the good that can be brought into all our lives with a simple kindness.

At the time I read this book the whole nation was in the middle of a quarantine due to Covid-19. There is a lot of sorrow right now with the deaths we have experienced. There are the deaths of friends and relatives, our jobs, time with our families, activities outside of our homes and basically life as we knew it. We now have a new normal and that is pretty hard to swallow.

As in The Good Stranger we see a lot of kindnesses happening all around us. One woman posted she needed her yard mowed and found someone to do it in a few days but, woke from a nap to find someone came, mowed and left. What a blessing for her. Police are doing drive by happy birthdays, graduating seniors are having drive through graduation parties and the list goes on. Kindness in times of sorrow. 

This book definitely struck a cord with me during our time of self-isolation. I am thankful that we live a a country that is filled with people helping people. That is what this book was about. It warmed my soul. It will warm yours too.

I received this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

Synopsis: TV reporter Kate Bradley arrives in Manhattan ready to take on a challenging new position as a national news correspondent. When a massive power outage plunges New York City into darkness, the disaster she expected to cover takes an unexpected turn. Someone is leaving thousands of mysterious gifts throughout the city, and the only clue to the giver’s identity is the occasional note from “A Stranger.”

Together with handsome TV series host Scott Jameson, Kate must make sense of these random generous acts, which quickly escalate in scale and capture the attention of viewers across the country. In early-morning stakeouts and late-night surveillance, they crisscross the city hunting down leads, but the elusive Stranger is always one step ahead.

Menacing letters and videos addressed to Kate threaten to derail the investigation, but she’s determined to uncover the identity of the benefactor. The closer Kate gets to the truth, the more clearly she sees that even the smallest act of generosity can bring about powerful change. And it just may take her own selfless act of kindness to solve the feel-good mystery of the year.

Synopsis: Tender and compassionate, incisive and heartbreaking, Christina Clancy’s The Second Home is the story of a family you’ll quickly fall in love with, and won’t soon forget.

After a disastrous summer spent at her family summer home on Cape Cod, seventeen-year-old Ann Gordon was left with a secret that changed her life forever, and created a rift between her sister, Poppy, and their adopted brother, Michael.

Now, fifteen years later, her parents have died, leaving Ann and Poppy to decide the fate of the Wellfleet home that’s been in the Gordon family for generations. For Ann, the once-beloved house is tainted with bad memories. Poppy loves the old saltbox, but after years spent chasing waves around the world, she isn’t sure she knows how to stay in one place.

Just when the sisters decide to sell, Michael re-enters their lives with a legitimate claim to the house. But more than that, he wants to set the record straight about that long ago summer. Reunited after years apart, these very different siblings must decide if they can continue to be a family—and the house just might be the glue that holds them together.

Told through the shifting perspectives of Ann, Poppy, and Michael, this assured and affecting debut captures the ache of nostalgia for summers past and the powerful draw of the places we return to again and again. It is about second homes, second families, and second chances.

REVIEW: I enjoyed The Second Home by Christina Clancy. It was a good story to pass the time during quarantine. It was entertaining and kept me interested. I love stories that take place at the beach and this one takes place in Cape Cod. 

Clancy has a gentle approach to her writing style in this book. She is not in your face. She just lays out a nice story for your enjoyment. If you like stories about families with history and young love, you will like this one and I would definitely recommend it for your reading pleasure. This book warmed my heart. 

I grew to like her charecters and had several chuckles over Ed and Connie who were the parents of Ann and Poppy. They still had a great love for each other and I admired them. Have you ever had a teacher that was on the hippie side? Now, imagine them as your parents and going to the same high school where they teach.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review. 

Synopsis: Return to the cozy and delightful town of Winsome, where two people discover the grace of letting go and the joy found in unexpected change.

After fleeing her hometown three years earlier, Alyssa Harrison never planned to return. Then the Silicon Valley start-up she worked for collapsed and turned her world upside down. She is broke, under FBI investigation, and without a place to go. Having exhausted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup and move on as quickly as possible. Yet, as friends and family welcome her back, Alyssa begins to see a place for herself in this small Midwestern community.

Jeremy Mitchell moved from Seattle to Winsome to be near his daughter and to open the coffee shop he’s been dreaming of for years. Problem is, the business is bleeding money—and he’s not quite sure why. When he meets Alyssa, he senses an immediate connection, but what he needs most is someone to help him save his floundering business. After asking for her help, he wonders if something might grow between them—but forces beyond their control soon complicate their already complex lives, and the future they both hoped for is not at all what they anticipated.

With the help of Winsome’s small-town charm and quirky residents, Alyssa and Jeremy discover the beauty and romance of second chances.

“In her ode to small towns and second chances, Katherine Reay writes with affection and insight about the finer things in life.” —KAREN DUKESS, author of The Last Book Party

REVIEW: Well done! Of Literature and Lattes is the first book I’ve read by Katherine Reay and it will not be the only one. This book took me back home. I’m not from Winsome, Illinois but, I am from a small town and the feelings that bubbled to the top while I read made me feel like I was back home if only just for a little while.

I loved her characters! They were so wonderfully flawed and it was nice to see them working hard to make wrongs right. As in any good story, there is a lot going on. I delighted in all the little facets of the book and I was sorry to see it come to an end. I definitely felt I had made some new friends and hated to close the book. We will all be fortunate if Ms. Reay returns to Winsome, Illinois. 

She has the voice of a storyteller. I could see the story in my head as I was reading and felt like I left my world behind. It truly is a great book that can take you on a good trip and deposit you on your own couch when it is over.

I want to thank the publisher and Katherine Reay for the opportunity to read an early copy.I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.

Synopsis: The next psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Good Neighbors…

Autumn Sanderson goes by Lark now.
No one in her new life can know who she was.
No one from her old life can know where she is now.

Drowning in debt, Lark is desperate to land a job–any job. When she finds herself at an interview for a mysterious company offering her an exorbitant salary, she jumps at the chance.

But things aren’t quite what they seem…

She soon learns of the company’s peculiar hiring process. Locked in a luxury cabin with five strangers who go only by their code names, Lark begins to question exactly what it is she signed up for.

The company, riddled with secrets and led by a cryptic boss known only as Mr. X, has strange rules and even stranger challenges for their candidates. After each day’s competition, the candidates gather around the dinner table to eat, drink, and spill their darkest secrets.

When Lark sees something she shouldn’t, she begins to ask questions, but soon gets a warning to stop. It’s obvious she’s in danger, but why? What does the company want? How much can she trust the others in the house? Trapped in the remote house with no technology allowed, Lark realizes she must take drastic measures to find out the truth.

The job of her dreams may cost her life…

Review: Wowie! What a book. I have heard a lot about Kiersten Modglin and I’m here to tell you none of it was overkill especially when it comes to The Dream Job. This was such a great book. It was so fun to read. It kept me on the edge of my seat and flipping those pages as fast as I could. 

On the surface it looked like a very benign story but, you kept getting a stronger and stronger feeling there was something sinister going on underneath. She was a master at building the suspense.  I won’t even hint at the ending but, this book totally blew my mind! I’ll leave you to read it for yourself. Take my word for it, I’ve never read a book as unique as this one.

If you like psychological suspense, do yourself a favor and read The Dream Job. This is my first book by Kiersten Modglin and I will be reading more. She is a very prolific author so, I’ve gotta get going….I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!

I received this book from the author for a fair and honest review.

Synopsis: Buried secrets can be deadly.

Becky Morgan has a life most women would envy until a car accident lands her in the hospital. She insists she’s fine, but it quickly becomes clear she’s changed. She’s forgetful, paranoid, short-tempered. Her husband wants to write off her change in personality to the IVF hormones she’s taking in an attempt to get pregnant.

Becky’s best friend, Jules Dalton, is a gorgeous, single woman, with a habit of sabotaging relationships. When Jules loses the man who could have been “the one,” she confronts the realization that being adopted at birth is contributing to her trust issues. She’s obsessed with finding out why she was given up and turns to DNA testing in hopes her matches will lead to her birth parents.

As Jules dives into her DNA results, Becky’s life soon becomes one she doesn’t recognize. Those closest to her are accusing her of things she simply can’t explain or remember. She’s terrified of losing everything: her career, her marriage, and her dream of becoming a mother.

Desperate to put the pieces of her shattered life back together, Becky needs her best friend more than ever. What she doesn’t realize is that Jules knows something that could explain everything away.

Becky has a dark past she’s unaware of. A darkness that’s coming for her.

Review: Where The Truth Hides by Liane Carmen is probably one of the best debut novels I’ve read. It kept me interested and totally entertained. I couldn’t lay it down and go to sleep. I was compelled to find out how it ended and boy was it a great ending!

This book has it all. She takes you through IVF treatment for conceiving a child, a mom with dementia and DNA research to name a few. There are several facets to the story and all of them are interesting. The DNA side of the story was particularly interesting. I found her story line plausible and easy to follow. I was constantly trying to figure out what was happening in the background. I just knew it was something but, I couldn’t put my finger on it. 

If you love a good story with a lot going on, likeabe characters, learning a little along the way, you will love this book. It was interesting, informative and just plain fun to read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.