Month: June 2017

Race Against Time by Sharon Sala

Mary MIRA Books, NetGalley, Romantic Suspense, Sharon Sala
  • Title:  Race Against Time
  • Author:  Sharon Sala
  • Genre:  Romantic Suspense
  • Pages:  384
  • Published:  June 2017 – MIRA
  • Source:  Publisher; NetGalley

Description:  Sometimes fate brings you together…only to tear you apart 

Growing up in the foster system, Quinn O’Meara made a point of never getting involved. But when she discovers a crying baby amid a fiery crime scene, she knows she has no choice. Suddenly in way over her head, Quinn turns to the police, unintentionally positioning herself in the crosshairs of a deadly human-trafficking ring. 

The last time homicide detective Nick Saldano saw Quinn, she was still the young girl he’d shared a foster home with. The girl who’d loved and cared for him when no one else had. Now here she was, gorgeously all grown-up—and in terrible danger. 

Unwilling to lose her again, Nick insists on keeping Quinn close, especially when the bond they once shared heatedly slides into desire. Quinn finally has someone worth holding on to, but what kind of future can they have when she might not live to see tomorrow?  (publisher)

My take:  Race Against Time is a stand-alone romantic suspense novel that kept me on the edge of my seat as the story progressed. It started out very fast and kept that pace for most of the book.

The seedy underbelly of Las Vegas is explored in the world of Anton Baba, a casino kingpin with his hand in assorted related ventures (not the least being human trafficking). When Baba decides to make some changes his world begins to collapse in ways he’d never imagined. He won’t rest until he takes down the people responsible.

Race Against Time is a story of good vs. evil. It was easy to cheer on Nick and Quinn as they courageously stood up against Anton Baba. They knew it would be worth any chance to bring down that evil man instead of having to run and hide for the rest of their lives. They have a past and are brought back together in a wild coincidence – one that I decided just to go along with and enjoy wherever Sharon Sala’s story took me. It’s a very fast read and one I’d recommend to fans of romantic suspense and the author.

 

Primrose Lane by Debbie Mason

Mary Contemporary Romance, Debbie Mason, Forever, NetGalley
  • Title:  Primrose Lane
  • Series:  Harmony Harbor #3
  • Author:  Debbie Mason
  • Genre:  Contemporary Romance
  • Pages:  352
  • Published:  June 2017 – Forever

Description:  Love is the best medicine

Olivia Davenport has finally gotten her life back together. She’s left her painful past behind, started over in a new town, and become Harmony Harbor’s most sought-after event planner. But her past catches up to her when Olivia learns that she’s now guardian of her ex’s young daughter. With her world spinning, Olivia must reconcile her old life with her new one. And she doesn’t have time for her new next door neighbor, no matter how handsome he is.
Olivia may act like she’s got everything under control, but Dr. Finn Gallagher knows a person in over her head when he sees one. He’d really like to be the shoulder she leans on, but Olivia makes it clear she doesn’t want his help. Since he’s returned to town, his waiting room has been full of single women feigning illness. Yet the one woman he’s interested in is avoiding him. But with a little help from some matchmaking widows and a precocious little girl, Finn might just win Olivia over. (publisher)
My take:  The Harmony Harbor series is about the Gallagher family, heirs to the large hotel complex in town. When the matriarch Colleen died, her will stipulated her heirs be unanimous in their decision to keep the hotel in operation or to sell. They are not in agreement but with each book in the series at least one more Gallagher takes a position and it’s not always what they thought would happen.
Finn Gallagher is back in town convalescing from a terrible event before returning to Africa where he works with Doctors Without Borders. When he gets involved with the hotel’s event planner Olivia he also gets involved in her drama. Two years ago her only child succumbed to cancer. Some time later her husband was killed. She ended up in the small town of Harmony Harbor where she tried to forget about her past. When her past catches up with her she is faced with an impossible decision. Finn will need to make a decision as well – this isn’t what he was looking for.
Debbie Mason’s third installment in the Harmony Harbor series had me laughing out loud at some scenes and then quickly turning the pages as the drama played out near the end. I loved the physical comedy that went along with clumsy Olivia – very funny and well-written. I also enjoyed seeing characters from the previous books. There’s a bit of the paranormal in the series in that Colleen hasn’t crossed over yet. So she’s present to the reader but only certain other characters can sense her presence. It sounds a bit strange but I think it works. It all makes for an entertaining contemporary romance and I look forward to the next installment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Debbie Mason is the USA Today bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue, and juicy plots” (RT Book Reviews).  When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their four wonderful children, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.  You can learn more at www.AuthorDebbieMason.com.

PRIMROSE LANE

  • By Debbie Mason
  • Harmony Harbor, #3
  • June 27, 2017
  • Forever
  • Mass Market: $7.99 USD
  • eBook: $5.99 USD

 

Spotlight/Review: Gone to Dust by Liliana Hart – plus a US Giveaway of Book 1

Mary Giveaway, Liliana Hart, Pocket Books, Spotlight

GONE TO DUST

Liliana Hart

Book 2 in The Gravediggers Series

Pocket Books

June 20, 2017

9781501150050

$7.99

About the book:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Liliana Hart’s second book in her sexy, suspenseful Gravediggers series, GONE TO DUST, features an elite group of mysterious men who might be dead to the world, but are also tasked with saving it—and no one can ever know.

The Gravediggers aren’t exactly what they seem. They’re the most elite of the world’s fighting forces—and all they have in common is that they’ve been betrayed by the countries they’ve died for. Because they are dead. To their country, their military, and their families. Sometimes the dead do rise…

Miller Darling is one of the most popular romance novelists of her time. Not bad for a woman who doesn’t believe in romance. She’s as logical as they come, and she doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters. What she does believe in is family, so when her brother disappears, she doesn’t think twice about packing her bag and her laptop and heading out to find him.

Elias Cole lived and breathed the live of a Navy SEAL. Now he’s “dead” and his hero’s honor tarnished. The only thing keeping him sane are the men who are like him—The Gravediggers—and the woman who makes his head spin. He’s never met anyone like Miller Darling. Her smart mouth and quick wit keep him on his toes, and damned if he doesn’t find that appealing.

When Miller receives a package from the brother who abandoned her asking for help, it’s clear she’s in over her head with the mess he’s gotten himself into. She needs a professional, and Elias is just the man for the job. Only her brother is a former SEAL—the man who left his team to die—and Elias is more interested in vengeance than saving his life.

My take:  Gone to Dust is book two in Liliana Hart’s Gravediggers series.  We get to know Miller, best friend of Tess from book one, and Elias, a member of the elite special ops team that masquerades as workers at the funeral home where Tess is mortician. I loved that Miller is a romance author on deadline. She was understandably on edge, to say the least. She’s a romance author determined to never fall in love. Elias is of the same mind for different reasons. That made for some good banter and even better chemistry. The fun was in how they came to a different mindset while searching for Miller’s brother. With a nod to Romancing the Stone Hart’s plot was exciting and involved a drug cartel, artifacts once owned by King Solomon, and amazingly outfitted vehicles (train, yacht, etc) used by the Gravediggers.  I enjoyed it all and recommend Gone to Dust to fans of Liliana Hart and romantic suspense.

About the author:

Liliana Hart is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than forty titles, including the Addison Holmes Whiskey and J.J. Graves Mystery series. Since self-publishing in June 2011, Liliana has sold more than four million ebooks. She’s hit the #1 spot on lists all over the world, and all three of her series have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. Liliana is a sought-after speaker who’s given keynote speeches and self-publishing workshops to standing-room-only crowds from CA to NYC to London. Visit LilianaHart.com, facebook.com/lilianahartauthor, twitter.com/Liliana_Hart.

Gone to Dust blog tour:

June 20

Moohnshine’s Corner

RT Book Reviews – Gravedigger Giveaway Bundle (Book 1 and 2) drawing opens

For the Love of Books and Alcohol

Dirty and Thirty

The Reading Cafe

Red Carpet Crash

Celtic Lady’s Reviews

Booktalk with Eileen

 

June 21

Book Sniffers Anonymous

Abigail Books Addiction

Crossroads

Fandemonium Network

Little Black Book Review

Blonde Bookworm

Eye on Romance

 

June 22

Read Your Writes

Three Boys and an Old Lady

Rock Stars of Romance

A Midlife Wife

Tigris Eden

Under the Covers

Positively Book Crazy

 

June 23

Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind

Once Upon An Alpha

Reading Diaries

WTF Are You Reading

Thoughts in Progress

The Lovely Books

The Sassy Bookster

 

June 24

Romance Junkies

 

June 26

Reviews by Crystal

Blogging by Liza

 

June 27

Pick of the Literate

The Reader’s Den

 

June 28

Dew on the Kudzu

Read for Your Future

Bookfan-Mary

 

June 29

Bea’s Book Nook

JoJo the Bookaholic

 

June 30

Readaholic

The Book Avenue

 

July 5

Caffeinated Book Reviewer

 

July 7

Romance Reviews Today

 

July 9

RT Book Reviews – Gravedigger Giveaway Bundle (Book 1 and 2) drawing date

 

September 25

Authors on the Air Global Radio Network – Gravediggers Series interview

 

Gravedigger Giveaway (US):

For the Gravedigger Giveaway, we are giving away one review copy of Book 1, The Darkest Corner! Be sure to check out all participating sites on the blog tour for more Gravedigger Giveaways. And note that RT will giveaway three bundles of Book 1 and Book 2, with the drawing to be held Monday, July 10th. Please note, you can only win once and must have a U.S. address.

Please click here and fill out the form

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Giveaway ends on July 5, 2017

 

The Confusion of Languages by Siobhan Fallon

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Putnam, Siobhan Fallon
  • Title:  The Confusion of Languages
  • Author:  Siobhan Fallon
  • Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
  • Pages:  336
  • Published:  June 2017 – Putnam
  • Source:  Publisher

Description:  Both Cassie Hugo and Margaret Brickshaw dutifully followed their soldier husbands to the U.S. embassy in Jordan, but that’s about all the women have in common. After two years, Cassie’s become an expert on the rules, but newly arrived Margaret sees only her chance to explore. So when a fender-bender sends Margaret to the local police station, Cassie reluctantly agrees to watch Margaret’s toddler son. But as the hours pass, Cassie’s boredom and frustration turn to fear: Why isn’t Margaret answering her phone, and why is it taking so long to sort out a routine accident? Snooping around Margaret’s apartment, Cassie begins to question not only her friend’s whereabouts but also her own role in Margaret’s disappearance.
 
Written with emotional insight and stunning prose, The Confusion of Languages is a shattering portrait of a collision between two women and two worlds, as well as a poignant glimpse into the private lives of American military families living overseas. (publisher)

My take:  Two women whose husbands are stationed in Jordan are thrown together when Cassie, who has lived there a while, is volunteered by her husband to show newly arrived Margaret around. Cassie resents her husband for that and a host of other things. Most of all she’s angry about their infertility and now she has to spend a lot of time with Margaret and her toddler son. Margaret has issues of her own – not the least being the guilt she feels about a few things she’s done. I’ve known people like both women. Some of them are friends I adore. I have to say I’d want Cassie in my corner when the chips were down. But there were things I liked about Margaret that Cassie addresses in the epilogue.

This was a wonderful character study of two interesting and flawed women. Fallon drew me in with the interactions of the women and then expanded to their husbands and a few other characters. I couldn’t wait to get back to this novel each day just to see where it would lead. I loved the expat aspect – living in a country where you stand out by what you wear, how you interact with locals, etc. It all mattered. When cultures with glaring differences are thrown together there’s great opportunity for confusion on both sides. Margaret wasn’t always open to what Cassie tried to teach her about the culture of Jordan. To say the least! I also loved when Cassie and Margaret ventured out to various tourist sites. I could visualize the different places and have added them to my travel bucket list. I really enjoyed The Confusion of Languages and look forward to what Siobhan Fallon writes next.

Kiss Carlo by Adriana Trigiani

Mary Adriana Trigiani, Harper, Historical Fiction
  • Title:  Kiss Carlo
  • Author:  Adriana Trigiani
  • Genre:  Historical Fiction
  • Pages:  544
  • Published:  June 2017 – Harper
  • Source:  Publisher

Description:  It’s 1949 and South Philadelphia bursts with opportunity during the post-war boom. The Palazzini Cab Company & Western Union Telegraph Office, owned and operated by Dominic Palazzini and his three sons, is flourishing: business is good, they’re surrounded by sympathetic wives and daughters-in-law, with grandchildren on the way. But a decades-long feud that split Dominic and his brother Mike and their once-close families sets the stage for a re-match. 

Amidst the hoopla, the arrival of an urgent telegram from Italy upends the life of Nicky Castone (Dominic and his wife’s orphaned nephew) who lives and works with his Uncle Dom and his family. Nicky decides, at 30, that he wants more—more than just a job driving Car #4 and more than his longtime fiancée Peachy DePino, a bookkeeper, can offer. When he admits to his fiancée that he’s been secretly moonlighting at the local Shakespeare theater company, Nicky finds himself drawn to the stage, its colorful players and to the determined Calla Borelli, who inherited the enterprise from her father, Nicky must choose between the conventional life his family expects of him or chart a new course and risk losing everything he cherishes.

From the dreamy mountaintop village of Roseto Valfortore in Italy, to the vibrant streets of South Philly, to the close-knit enclave of Roseto, Pennsylvania, to New York City during the birth of the golden age of television, Kiss Carlo is a powerful, inter-generational story that celebrates the ties that bind, while staying true to oneself when all hope seems lost.

Told against the backdrop of some of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, this novel brims with romance as long buried secrets are revealed, mistaken identities are unmasked, scores are settled, broken hearts are mended and true love reigns. Trigiani’s consummate storytelling skill and her trademark wit, along with a dazzling cast of characters will enthrall readers. Once again, the author has returned to her own family garden to create an unforgettable feast. Kiss Carlo is a jubilee, resplendent with hope, love, and the abiding power of la famiglia.  (publisher)

My take:  Adriana Trigiani is back with a tale about a big family who live in South Philadelphia. It’s the post-WWII years and people are optimistic about getting back to finding the American dream and all that entails. Trigiani’s characters are relatable yet sometimes larger than life. They have important lessons to learn and are mostly grateful when they do. Most important was finding one’s true purpose and how to recognize it when it appeared. As serious as that sounds there are also laugh-out-loud moments. As in all of her novels, Trigiani’s attention to detailed descriptions left no question in my mind what the setting in any given scene looked like. Her novels often seem cinematic to me and I’d love to see this one on the big screen. With a nod to Shakespeare and Italian operas, Trigiani has written a very heartfelt and entertaining novel. I enjoyed every page.

 

One Wrong Turn by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Deanna Lynn Sletten, Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley
  • Title:  One Wrong Turn
  • Author:  Deanna Lynn Sletten
  • Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
  • Pages:  204
  • Published:  June 2017 – Lake Union Publishing
  • Source:  Publisher; NetGalley

My take:  One Wrong Turn by Deanna Lynn Sletten is the story of Clay and Jess. They met, fell in love, married and had two daughters. Life didn’t continue that smoothly though. Clay made a wrong turn and fell into the grip of alcohol, just as his own father had. Jess never faltered in her love for him as he went into rehab time after time. Her vow of “for better or for worse” truly meant something to her. When she could no longer remain stagnant in his decisions she finally made her own decision to protect herself and their daughters. Fast-forward to a couple of years later. Jess was getting ready to open a B&B and while running errands one day is involved in a car accident. Life changed for everyone. Clay, gone from his daughters’ lives for two years, must step up and handle things. Can he ever make his family whole again? One Wrong Turn is a heartfelt story of redemption, second chances, and never giving up. Recommend to fans of novels about family drama.

About the author:

Author Deanna Lynn Sletten believes in fate, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after. When she initially started writing women’s fiction and romance, she decided to self-publish her first three novels. Since then, she has published twelve books—including Finding Libbie, her second book with Lake Union Publishing. She lives in a small town in northern Minnesota and is married with two grown children. When she’s not writing, she enjoys relaxing in a boat on the lake and walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian shepherd.

Her blog: www.deannalynnsletten.com
Twitter: @DeannaLSletten
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeannaLynnSletten

 

Serenity Harbor by RaeAnne Thayne

Mary Contemporary Romance, HQN Books, Little Bird Publicity, RaeAnne Thayne
  • Title:  Serenity Harbor
  • Author:  RaeAnne Thayne
  • Series:  Haven Point #6
  • Pages:  384
  • Genre:  Contemporary Romance
  • Pub. Date:  June 27, 2017 – HQN Books

Description:  Computer-tech millionaire Bowie Callahan is about the last person that schoolteacher Katrina Bailey wants to work for. As far as she can see, he’s arrogant, entitled and not up to the task of caring for his young half-brother, Milo. But Kat is, especially if it brings her closer to her goal of adopting an orphaned little girl. And as her kindness and patience work wonders with Milo, she realizes there’s more to sexy, wary Bo than she’d ever realized. 

Bo never imagined he’d be tasked with caring for a sibling he didn’t know existed. Then again, he never pictured himself impulsively kissing vibrant, compassionate Katrina in the moonlight. Now he’s ready to make her dream of family come true…and hoping there’s room in it for him, too… (publisher)

My take:  Serenity Harbor is the newest book in RaeAnne Thayne’s Haven Point series. It’s the story of Bowie and Katrina, two people who aren’t looking for love. Bowie’s life took an unexpected turn when he found he had a little brother he didn’t previously know existed. Now he’s responsible for the little boy who is on the autism spectrum. He has no idea how he can juggle seeing to Milo’s needs as well as work a full-time job. Katrina is the answer to his prayers. Turns out, he can help her. She’s in the middle of complicated adoption proceedings of a little girl in Columbia. When Bowie offers Kat a sizable amount of money to care for Milo until permanent help arrives she can’t refuse him. That money will help her with adoption costs so she accepts the offer. What she didn’t see coming was the attraction to Bowie. She’d been concentrating only on bringing Gabi home to Haven Point – not her love life. She’d made so many mistakes in that area before that she’s going to set her sights on making Gabi’s life better and forget about romance.

I so enjoyed this story of people finding out that perspective can change your idea of how life should go. Yes, a few things worked out much easier than they probably would in real life but this is a novel and I just went with it. I love the series, the characters and the setting and recommend it fans of the author and contemporary, small town romance.

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne finds inspiration in the beautiful northern Utah mountains where she lives with her family. Her books have won numerous honors, including six RITA Award nominations from Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews magazine. RaeAnne loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at http://www.raeannethayne.com.

 

The Darkest Corner by Liliana Hart

Mary Liliana Hart, Pocket Books, Romantic Suspense
  • Title:  The Darkest Corner
  • Series:  Gravediggers #1
  • Author:  Liliana Hart
  • Pages:  368
  • Published:  May 2017 – Pocket Books
  • Source:  Publisher

Description:  New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Liliana Hart’s first book in her suspenseful Gravediggers series, featuring an elite group of mysterious men who might be dead to the world, but are also tasked with saving it—and no one can ever know.

The Gravediggers aren’t exactly what they seem. They’re the most elite of the world’s fighting forces—and all they have in common is that they’ve been betrayed by the countries they’ve died for. Because they are dead. To their country, their military, and their families.

Sometimes the dead do rise…

Deacon Tucker is a dead man walking. A former black ops agent, he was disavowed and stripped of all honor before being recruited as a Gravedigger. But his honor and good name no longer matter, because no one knows he’s alive, and he’ll never get the recognition he deserves. His mission is simple: save the world or die trying. And for God’s sake, don’t ever fall in love. That’s a rule punishable by death. The kind of death a man can’t be brought back from.

Tess Sherman is the only mortician in Last Stop, Texas. She has no idea how Deacon Tucker ended up in her funeral home, but she’ll eat her hat if he’s only a funeral home assistant. Deacon is dangerous, deadly, and gorgeous. And she knows her attraction to him can only end in heartache.

Deacon is on a mission to stop the most fatal terror attack the world has ever known—what’s known as The Day of Destiny—a terrorist’s dream. But when he discovers Tess has skills he can use to stop them, he has to decide if he can trust her with secrets worth dying for. And, most important, he has to decide if he can trust her with his heart. (publisher)

My take:  The Darkest Corner is an enticing introduction to Liliana Hart’s new Gravediggers series – especially for readers like me who don’t often dip into the Romantic Suspense sub-genre. It has a team of amazing special ops agents who are intent on seeing each mission through to the intended outcome. Each member has special abilities that make him an integral part of the elite group.  I thought the way they came to the team was clever. Of course there’s romance involved in the story and I enjoyed the chemistry Deacon and Tess shared. Most of all, I found the drama of the Gravediggers’ missions exciting and look forward to seeing what Hart has planned for them in the next book.

Note:  I read a copy of the book from the publisher but also used an Audible credit. I really enjoyed the narration of Jonathan Todd Ross and Devra Woodward and will use another credit for the next book in the series.

Sunday Post

Mary Book arrivals, Mailbox Monday, Sunday Post

Book arrivals:  (linked to Mailbox Monday)

      

Last week on Bookfan:

    

Reading plan for this week:

Spotlight/US Giveaway: Dead Certain by Adam Mitzner

Mary Adam Mitzner, Giveaway, Mystery, Thomas & Mercer

Description: 

Ella Broden is living a double life.

By day, Ella works as a buttoned-up attorney on some of the city’s most grueling cases. By night, she pursues her passion for singing in the darkest clubs of Manhattan.

No one knows her secret, not even Charlotte, the younger sister she practically raised. But it seems she’s not the only one in the family with something to hide. When Charlotte announces she’s sold her first novel, Ella couldn’t be more thrilled…until she gets a call that her sister’s gone missing.

Ella starts investigating with the help of Detective Gabriel Velasquez, an old flame in the NYPD, and what she finds is shocking. If art imitates life, then her sister’s novel may contain details of her real-life affairs. And any one of her lovers could be involved in her disappearance.

Desperate to bring Charlotte home, Ella works through her list of suspects, matching fictitious characters with flesh-and-blood men. But will it be too late to save the sister she only thought she knew?

About the author:

Adam Mitzner is a practicing attorney in a Manhattan law firm and the author of several acclaimed novels.  Suspense Magazine named A Conflict of Interest one of the best books of 2012, and in 2014, the American Bar Association nominated A Case of Redemption for a Silver Gavel Award. He and his family live in New York City.

http://www.adammitzner.com

US Giveaway

Please click here and fill out the form

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Giveaway ends June 23, 2017

The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green

Mary Berkley Books, Contemporary Fiction, Jane Green
  • Title:  The Sunshine Sisters
  • Author:  Jane Green
  • Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
  • Pages:  384
  • Published:  June 2017 – Berkley Books
  • Source:  Publisher

Description:  Ronni Sunshine left London for Hollywood to become a beautiful, charismatic star of the silver screen. But at home, she was a narcissistic, disinterested mother who alienated her three daughters.

As soon as possible, tomboy Nell fled her mother’s overbearing presence to work on a farm and find her own way in the world as a single mother. The target of her mother’s criticism, Meredith never felt good enough, thin enough, pretty enough. Her life took her to London—and into the arms of a man whom she may not even love. And Lizzy, the youngest, more like Ronni than any of them, seemed to have it easy, using her drive and ambition to build a culinary career to rival her mother’s fame, while her marriage crumbled around her.

But now the Sunshine Sisters are together again, called home by Ronni, who has learned that she has a serious disease and needs her daughters to fulfill her final wishes. And though Nell, Meredith, and Lizzy have never been close, their mother’s illness draws them together to confront the old jealousies and secret fears that have threatened to tear these sisters apart. As they face the loss of their mother, they will discover if blood might be thicker than water after all… (publisher)

My take:  Jane Green’s newest novel is about a family of women: A narcissistic mother in failing health and her three grown daughters who want nothing to do with her or each other.  She sees a chance to change things by bringing her girls together before she dies.

Nell, Meredith and Lizzy know something is up when their mother requests they come home immediately. It’s not a problem for Nell who lives nearby but Meredith lives and works in London and Lizzy is incredibly busy with her pop-up restaurant venture in New York. They drop everything and head home to see what’s going on. The sisters will soon discover things about themselves, their mother and each other.

I liked this novel for its good intentions. It touches on a few serious topics while managing to keep a fairly light tone. But a few things seemed a bit pat – most notably with one daughter’s life going in an unexpected direction almost overnight. I didn’t have a problem with that direction, just how fast it happened. That issue aside, I recommend The Sunshine Sisters as a light read for fans of domestic fiction and Jane Green.

 

The Beach At Painter’s Cove by Shelley Noble

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Shelley Noble, Wm. Morrow
  • Title:  The Beach At Painter’s Cove
  • Author:  Shelley Noble
  • Genre:  Contemporary Fiction
  • Pages:  432
  • Published:  June 2017 – William Morrow Paperbacks
  • Source:  Publisher

My take:  The Beach at Painter’s Cove is the story of the Whitakers – a wealthy and eccentric New England family who are on the brink of losing the fabled Muses by the Sea mansion. Through the decades Muses hosted the most notable stars of the art world – a place where artists could practice their craft or just get away and be themselves.

Granddaughter Issy will go down fighting in order to keep her grandmother’s home in the family. That’s not the only issue she’ll face. There are also frustrating family dynamics, intrigue, and general misunderstandings that work into the plot of this multi-generational story. Despite all that, she reconnects with old friends, her grandmother and great-aunt, and a delightful niece who seems to share a lot in common with Issy.

The novel is filled with interesting characters, a lovely setting, and the lesson that change is not always a bad thing. I enjoy a good family drama and that’s exactly what I got with Shelley Noble’s The Beach at Painter’s Cove. A book club guide is included.

About the author:

Shelley Noble is a former professional dancer and choreographer. She most recently worked on the films Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Liberty States Fiction Writers.

 

The Ridge by John Rector

Mary John Rector, Mystery, Thomas & Mercer, Thriller
  • Title:  The Ridge
  • Author:  John Rector
  • Genre:  Mystery; Thriller
  • Pages:  284
  • Published:  April 2017 – Thomas & Mercer
  • Source:  Publisher

Description:  With its manicured lawns, pastel houses, and quiet, tree-lined streets, Willow Ridge seems to be the perfect place for Megan and Tyler Stokes to start a new chapter in their lives together. But soon after settling in, Megan begins to notice cracks in the neighborhood’s bright suburban facade—cracks that reveal a darker secret hidden just beneath the surface.

After an angry encounter with a neighbor takes a horrifying turn, Megan’s waking nightmare truly begins—growing ever more chilling and bizarre with each shocking twist. Suddenly forced to question everything around her, Megan finds herself trapped between the specter of madness and the shadow of something far worse. Her only hope is to expose the community’s pretty lies and discover the truth about what is really going on in Willow Ridge—a truth so devastating that her life will never be the same. (publisher)

My take:  While thrillers aren’t my go-to genre I was intrigued by the blurb and thought it would be a good read for my vacation. My instincts proved correct. The Ridge was a fast-paced novel that had me remembering The Stepford Wives (was even joked about by a couple of characters).

There’s something different about the town of Willow Ridge. When Megan and her husband move there for his job she can’t wait to move back to Chicago. But she agrees to give it a year. When she begins to notice odd things about her neighbors she may not be able to keep her promise. I couldn’t blame her!

I won’t share any more except to say if you like a short mystery/thriller with light sci-fi overtones you’ll want to look for The Ridge. It was a perfect poolside read.

About the author:

John Rector is the bestselling author of the novels The Ridge, The Cold Kiss, The Grove, Already Gone, Out of the Black, and Ruthless. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and has won several awards, including the International Thriller Award for his novella, Lost Things.

He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

 

Spotlight/US Giveaway: Grief Cottage by Gail Godwin

Mary Bloomsbury USA, Fiction, FSB Associates, Gail Godwin, Giveaway, Spotlight

Bloomsbury  June 6, 2017

Publisher’s Description:

The haunting tale of a desolate cottage, and the hair-thin junction between this life and the next, from bestselling National Book Award finalist Gail Godwin.

After his mother’s death, eleven-year-old Marcus is sent to live on a small South Carolina island with his great aunt, a reclusive painter with a haunted past. Aunt Charlotte, otherwise a woman of few words, points out a ruined cottage, telling Marcus she had visited it regularly after she’d moved there thirty years ago because it matched the ruin of her own life. Eventually she was inspired to take up painting so she could capture its utter desolation.

The islanders call it “Grief Cottage,” because a boy and his parents disappeared from it during a hurricane fifty years before. Their bodies were never found and the cottage has stood empty ever since. During his lonely hours while Aunt Charlotte is in her studio painting and keeping her demons at bay, Marcus visits the cottage daily, building up his courage by coming ever closer, even after the ghost of the boy who died seems to reveal himself. Full of curiosity and open to the unfamiliar and uncanny given the recent upending of his life, he courts the ghost boy, never certain whether the ghost is friendly or follows some sinister agenda.

Grief Cottage is the best sort of ghost story, but it is far more than that–an investigation of grief, remorse, and the memories that haunt us. The power and beauty of this artful novel wash over the reader like the waves on a South Carolina beach.

About the Author:

Gail Godwin is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the bestselling author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed books, including Publishing, a memoir, and the novels Flora, Father Melancholy’s Daughter, and Evensong. She has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts grants for both fiction and libretto writing, and the Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She lives in Woodstock, New York.

Book tour schedule

NPR interview with the author

Praise for Gail Godwin:

“Something between a search for understanding and a mournful confession . . . A testament to the power of storytelling to bring solace when none other is possible.” —Washington Post on FLORA

“Remorse may be the defining emotion for our narrator, Helen, but Godwin the writer has nothing to regret: Flora is an elegant little creeper of a story.” —Maureen Corrigan, NPR Fresh Air

“Flora is a beautiful examination of character and the far-reaching repercussions of our actions. Gail Godwin brings grace, honesty, and enormous intelligence to every page.” —Ann Patchett

“Flora is Godwin at her best, a compelling story about Helen’s growth of consciousness told with fearless candor and the poignant wisdom of hindsight.” —Boston Globe

“A chronicle of her life as a writer whose career has been boosted and buffeted by the vagaries of the publishing industry. She has made of it a suspenseful account, with . . . emotional depth, too.” —Wall Street Journal on PUBLISHING

“A memoir in the old sense of the term, a story with a scope of five decades written by an author of some renown . . . You don’t have to be a hungry writer or an aspiring editor to appreciate Publishing. You don’t have to have followed Godwin’s career as a reader either, though the millions who have will be treated to a look behind the scenes.” —New York Times Book Review on PUBLISHING

“Godwin affectionately divulges the various moments, places, and characters in her life that eventually slipped into her 14 novels. These disclosures leave you hungry to reread her oeuvre with the newfound secrets in mind.” —Entertainment Weekly on PUBLISHING

“This memoir by the acclaimed, prolific novelist is testament to both her talent and her perseverance.” – O, the Oprah Magazine on PUBLISHING

US Giveaway

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GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Giveaway ends on June 14, 2017

Sunday Post

Mary Book arrivals, Mailbox Monday, Sunday Post

Book arrivals:  (linked to Mailbox Monday)

      

Last week on Bookfan:

   

Reading plan for this week:

  

Books read in May:

  • Summer Dance by Nan Rossiter
  • The Beach House Cookbook by Mary Kay Andrews
  • Goodnight From London by Jennifer Robson
  • The Summer House by Hannah McKinnon
  • The Book of Summer by Michelle Gable
  • Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
  • The Beach at Painter’s Cove by Shelley Noble
  •  Cold Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas
  •  The Sunshine Sisters by Jane Green
  •  Primrose Lane by Debbie Mason
I enjoyed them all but this was my favorite of the month: