Month: May 2018

Lighthouse Beach by Shelley Noble

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Shelley Noble, William Morrow Paperbacks

Lighthouse Beach by Shelley Noble

William Morrow Paperbacks (May 29, 2018)

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

Description:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Noble comes a heartrending and uplifting novel about friendship, love, and what we’re willing to sacrifice for our dreams.

What was supposed to be an idyllic wedding leads to an unexpected journey of self-discovery…

When Lillo Gray pulls up to Kennebunkport’s most exclusive hotel wearing a borrowed dress and driving a borrowed VW van, she knows she’s made a big mistake. She’s not even sure why Jessica Parker invited her to her posh wedding. They haven’t seen each other since they were unhappy fourteen-year-old girls at fat camp. And now they’re from two completely different worlds. There’s no way Lillo fits in the rarefied circles Jessica travels in.

Jess isn’t sure she’s ready to go through with this wedding, but she’s been too busy making everyone else happy to think about what she wants. But when she and her two closest friends, Allie and Diana, along with Lillo, discover her fiancé with his pants down in the hotel parking lot, she’s humiliated…and slightly relieved. In a rush to escape her crumbling life, Jess, Allie, and Diana pile into Lillo’s beat-up old van and head up the coast to Lighthouse Island. Once there, she hopes to figure out the next chapter in her life.

Nursing broken hearts and broken dreams, four lost women embark on a journey to find their way back into happiness with new love, friendship, and the healing power of Lighthouse Beach. (publisher)

My take:  Lighthouse Beach is about the friendship of 4 women in their early 30s. They’re old enough to have endured some disappointments but young enough to have retained some optimism for the future.

What starts out as the wedding of one of the four ends up being an unexpected girls getaway. And what better place to spend a girls’ week than Lighthouse Beach, Maine – a place where the town’s welcome sign says “Once you visit Lighthouse Beach, life will never be the same”. New possibilities are found and suddenly the future seems a little brighter for all involved.

I liked Lighthouse Beach. Grab a copy this summer and enjoy a visit to the Maine shore.

Praise for LIGHTHOUSE BEACH:

“Noble delivers another compelling beach read, just in time to pack it in your tote beside your sunscreen and beach towel.” – RT Book Reviews on LIGHTHOUSE BEACH

“New readers and fans of Noble’s previous novels will find much to appreciate in this ensemble drama with fully realized characters and a vivid, enchanting setting. This is a novel perfect for reading on a beach, with or without a lighthouse.” – Booklist on LIGHTHOUSE BEACH

About the author:  SHELLEY NOBLE is the NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling Author of the women’s fiction novel BEACH COLORS, a #1 Nook bestseller, STARGAZEY POINT three novellas, Holidays at Crescent Cove, Stargazey Nights, BREAKWATER BAY and WHISPER BEACH.

As SHELLEY FREYDONT she is the author of the CELEBRATION BAY FESTIVAL MYSTERIES (Berkley Prime Crime) as well and two other mystery series, and the upcoming Gilded Age Newport Mystery series. Her mysteries have been translated into ten languages.

A former professional dancer and choreographer, she most recently worked on the films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. Shelley lives near the New Jersey shore where she loves to discover new beaches and indulge her passion for lighthouses and vintage carousels.

 

The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Jenny Colgan, William Morrow Paperbacks

The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan

William Morrow Paperbacks (May 22, 2018)

Review copy courtesy of the publisher

Description:

When Flora MacKenzie traded her glum career in London for the remote Scottish island of Mure, she never dreamed that Joel—her difficult, adorable boss—would follow. Yet now, not only has Flora been reunited with her family and opened a charming café by the sea, but she and Joel are taking their first faltering steps into romance.

With Joel away on business in New York, Flora is preparing for the next stage in her life. And that would be…? Love? She’s feeling it. Security? In Joel’s arms, sure. Marriage? Not open to discussion.

In the meanwhile, Flora is finding pleasure in a magnificent sight: whales breaking waves off the beaches of Mure. But it also signals something less joyful. According to local superstition, it’s an omen—and a warning that Flora’s future could be as fleeting as the sea-spray…

A bracing season on the shore sets the stage for Jenny Colgan’s delightful novel that’s as funny, heartwarming, and unpredictable as love itself. (publisher)

My take:  With The Endless Beach Jenny Colgan continues the story of the close-knit village on the island of Mure. I loved catching up with the MacKenzie family and all connected to them. The theme that we all just need/want to be accepted, loved – regardless of what has come before – runs through the novel. It doesn’t matter who we are or what our circumstances are – it’s a universal need. Jenny Colgan gets it just right and left me hoping this is not my last visit to Mure and the lovely people who live there. I highly recommend reading The Cafe By The Sea to get a true introduction to the characters and setting. It will be worth it!

 

Sunday Post

Mary Book arrivals, Mailbox Monday, Sunday Post

Book arrivals:  (linked to Mailbox Monday)

      

Last week on Bookfan:

    

Reading plan for this week:

 

Beach House Reunion by Mary Alice Monroe

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Gallery Books, Mary Alice Monroe

Review copy provided by Gallery Books

Series: The Beach House (Book 5)

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Gallery Books (May 22, 2018)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1501193295

ISBN-13: 978-1501193293

 

Description:  Cara Rutledge returns to her Southern home on the idyllic Isle of Palms. Everything is comfortingly the same, yet each detail is rife with painful memories. Only through reconnecting with family, friends, and the rhythms of the lowcountry can Cara release the hold of the past and open herself to the possibility of a new love, career, and hope for the future.

Meanwhile, her niece Linnea, a recent college graduate who doesn’t know where her life will take her, leaves her historic home in Charleston, with all its entitlement and expectations, and heads to her aunt’s beach house. On the island, she is part of the freer, natural ocean lifestyle she loves, rejoining the turtle team, learning to surf, and falling in love. Remembering the lessons of her beloved grandmother, Lovie, the original “turtle lady,” Linnea rediscovers a meaningful purpose to her life and finds the courage she needs to break from tradition. (publisher)

My take:  Readers return to Isle Of Palms, South Carolina to find Cara moving back to her mother’s beloved cottage for a new chapter in her life. She’s been a widow for three years but there are changes – one big one that has set in motion a few more. Cara’s niece Linnea is a recent college graduate without a job offer so she jumps at the chance to join her aunt on Isle of Palms for the summer. The two women will find a few surprises on the island but will also learn if they have what it takes to stand up when faced with challenges. I really enjoyed the story of the Rutledge women. Mary Alice Monroe wove into her story the environmental thread of the annual trek of the sea turtles. Each chapter began with facts about the turtles and their plight. With the support of mindful people they’ll continue to do what they do – just like the women in Beach House Reunion. This is book 5 in the series but it can stand alone. The author does a good job of catching up readers who haven’t read the previous books.

About the author:

Mary Alice Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-one novels and three children’s books. She has received numerous awards, including the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, the South Carolina Center for the Book Award for Writing, the International Book Award for Green Fiction, the Florida Book Festival Distinguished Author Award, and The SC Academy of Authors inducted Monroe into the Literary Hall of Fame in 2018. Her bestselling novel The Beach House will be a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie set to premiere in April, 2018, starring three-time Golden Globe nominee Andie MacDowell, Minka Kelly, and Chad Michael Murray. Mary Alice is an active conservationist and lives in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

While in Florida last month I passed this sign on my way to the beach each day. It always brought to mind Mary Alice Monroe’s novels.

 

Best Beach Ever by Wendy Wax

Mary Berkley Trade, Contemporary Fiction, NetGalley, Wendy Wax

Description:  Forced to rent out or lose their beloved Bella Flora after the loss of their renovation-turned-reality-TV show Do Over, Maddie, Nikki, Avery, Kyra, and Bitsy move into cottages at the Sunshine Hotel and Beach Club believing the worst is over. Only to discover just how uncertain their futures really are.

Maddie struggles with the challenges of dating a rock star whose career has come roaring back to life while Nikki faces the daunting realities of mothering twins at forty-seven. Avery buries herself in a tiny home build in an attempt to dodge commitment issues, and Kyra battles to protect her son from the Hollywood world she once dreamed of joining. And Bitsy is about to find out whether the rewards of seeking revenge will outweigh the risks.

Luckily, when the going gets tough, the ladies of Ten Beach Road know that their friendship–tried and tested–can chase away the darkest clouds and let the sun shine in…  (publisher)

My take:  Best Beach Ever is the 6th book in the Ten Beach Road series. I recommend reading the series in order but you could still enjoy this novel if you haven’t.

When we left the ladies of Ten Beach Road in the last installment they were facing financial ruin, heartbreak, and huge life-changing events. They pick up at that point in Best Beach Ever. At this point in the series none of the women are reluctant to share when they feel someone needs to hear their advice – that’s what good friends do, right? From the beginning they supported each other and worked to achieve their common goals and they continue to do so in this novel. I enjoy how Wendy Wax shows strong women working together and learning to pick themselves up when they stumble. You can accomplish a great deal when you have the support of good friends.

Best Beach Ever was an enjoyable read and left me hoping for more in the series. Not all threads were wrapped up at the end so perhaps there will be another book.

Praise for the novels of Wendy Wax

“If you’re a sucker for plucky women who rise to the occasion, this is for you.”—USA Today

 

“Fans of Jane Green and Mary Alice Monroe will adore Wax’s lively characters, witty dialogue, and heartfelt prose.”—Booklist 

 

“Wax’s Florida titles [the Ten Beach Road novels] are terrific for lovers of women’s fiction and family drama, especially if you enjoy a touch of suspense and romance.”—Library Journal 

 

“[Wax] writes with breezy wit and keen insight.”—The Atlanta Journal Constitution

 

The Sugarhouse Blues by Mariah Stewart

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Gallery Books, Mariah Stewart, NetGalley

Review copy from Gallery Books and NetGalley

THE SUGARHOUSE BLUES

The Hudson Sisters Series, Book 2

by Mariah Stewart

Gallery Books

May 15, 2018

9781501144929 (trade paperback)

$16.00 (trade paperback)

Description:  From New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart comes more “catnip for women’s fiction fans” (Booklist) in the second novel of the Hudson Sisters series.

Allie, Des, and Cara, each having her own reasons for wanting a share of their father’s estate, meet in the grand Victorian home in which he grew up, only to be greeted by another secret he purposely hid from them: his sister Bonnie. The women reluctantly band together to take on Fritz’s challenge, working with a local contractor to begin the renovations financed by an account Fritz had set up for the task. While the restoration appears to go smoothly at first, it soon becomes apparent that the work will be more extensive than originally thought, and Des, elected to handle the money, needs to find ways to stretch out the remaining savings while searching for new sources of funding.

As strangers linked only by their DNA try to become a family, the Hudson sisters also try to come to terms with the father they only thought they knew. In the process, each woman discovers her own capacity for understanding, forgiveness, love, and the true meaning of family. (publisher)

My take:  Mariah Stewart’s second book of the Hudson Sisters series picked up where the first ended. It’s the story of three sisters who share the same father and have been tasked with restoring his family’s historic theater in his Pennsylvania hometown. They will receive their inheritance if they can complete this huge assignment. First they have to find a way to be comfortable working together.

Two of the sisters share the same parents and have grown up with a sibling rivalry that was more on Allie’s part than Des’s. That resentment seems to grow now that they’re living under the same roof and working on this huge project. Can they work past their issues and come to value what they truly have as adults?

I love the progression of this storyline. The pacing seems just right. Des will find out what can happen when she lets go of her insecurities where relationships are concerned. The story of Des and Seth brought a smile to my face. Adding in the dog rescue facet made The Sugarhouse Blues a gem of a novel for me. I recommend picking up the first book, The Last Chance Matinee, to learn how the three sisters meet and then read The Sugarhouse Blues.

About the author:

Mariah Stewart is the award-winning New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of numerous novels and several novellas and short stories. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and two rambunctious rescue dogs amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she savors country life and tends her gardens while she works on her next novel. Visit her website at MariahStewart.com, like her on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuthorMariahStewart, and follow her on Instagram @Mariah_Stewart_Books.

 

The Summer Sail by Wendy Francis

Mary Contemporary Fiction, NetGalley, Touchstone, Wendy Francis

By Wendy Francis

May 1, 2018 * Touchstone * Trade Paperback Original * $16.00 * 978-1- 5011-8891- 6

Review galley from Touchstone and NetGalley

Description:  After not seeing her friends for a year, Abby decides to invite Caroline, Lee, and their families aboard the Bermuda Breeze cruise ship. As the ship pulls away from the pier, everyone is looking forward to a week of lounging by the pool, sipping sunset cocktails, and reminiscing together. But soon enough, they realize their adult problems won’t just disappear at the beach or during cocktail hour.

Hard-working Caroline anticipates several crucial days with her boyfriend, Javier, who she may leave if he doesn’t propose on this trip. Single mom Lee desperately wants to win back the affections of her formerly sweet daughter Lacey, who after her first year in college, has returned home a much more difficult person who is harboring a secret. Abby, the mother hen of the group, will renew her vows with her husband, Sam. But the couple is hiding a major problem from everyone else, including their twin sons, Chris and Ryan.

THE SUMMER SAIL is a vacation they won’t soon forget, but not for the reasons they expect. (publisher)

My take:  In her new novel Wendy Francis tells the story of three “forever friends”. They bonded twenty years earlier when they met in college. Now, as one is set to renew her marriage vows, they are at much different places in life. One is a successful magazine writer, one is a pre-school teacher with a empty nest at home, and one has just been given life-changing news. They’ll find out if they can still share their secrets, disappointments and joy on an eight-day cruise to Bermuda. It’s a tale of friendship, loyalty and life. Told in a breezy, enjoyable style I found it a very fast read that had me reminiscing about my own forever friends. I’d love to cruise to Bermuda with them and was glad to be along for the trip with Abby, Lee and Caroline.

About the author:

Wendy Francis is the author of the novels The Summer Sail, The Summer of Good Intentions, and Three Good Things. A former book editor, she has written for Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, The Improper Bostonian, and Cognoscenti. She lives outside Boston with her husband and son.

 

Photo credit:  Claudia Starkey

Praise for THE SUMMER SAIL:

“Every reader longs for the kind of female friendships Francis has created in The Summer Sail… Hope and heart fill these fast-turning pages.” —Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House

 

“What could be more fun than a summer cruise with old friends, along with all their hopes, fears, and extra pounds, not to mention husbands, children, and the one who can’t commit—yet.  A thoroughly entertaining summer read!”

—Shelley Noble, author of The Beach at Painter’s Cove

 

The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews plus US Giveaway

Mary Contemporary Fiction, Mary Kay Andrews, St. Martin's Press, Tandem Literary

Description:  When ninety-nine-year-old heiress Josephine Bettendorf Warrick summons attorney Brooke Trappnell to her 20,000 acre barrier island home, Brooke is puzzled. Everybody in the South has heard about the eccentric millionaire mistress of Talisa, but Brooke has never actually met her. Josephine’s cryptic note says she wants to discuss an important legal matter, but why enlist Brooke and not the prestigious Atlanta law firm she has used for years? Brooke travels to Shellhaven and meets the cagey Josephine, whose home is a crumbling pink mansion at the edge of the turquoise sea.

Over the course of a few meetings, Josephine spins a tale of old friendships, dark secrets, betrayal, and a long-unsolved murder. She is hiring Brooke for two reasons: first, to protect her island from those who would despoil her land, and second, to help her make amends with the heirs of the women who were her closest friends, the girls of The High Tide Club—so named because of their youthful skinny dipping escapades—Millie, Ruth, and Varina. To fulfill a dying woman’s wishes, Brooke must find Josephine’s friends’ descendants and bringing them together on Talisa for a reunion of women who’ve actually never met. But in doing so, Brooke unleashes the makings of a scandal that could make someone rich beyond their wildest dreams…or cause them to be in the crosshairs of a murderer….

The High Tide Club is Mary Kay Andrews at her Queen of the Beach Reads best: a story shrouded in mystery, Spanish moss, verandah cocktails, 1940s dinner dances, love lost, and possibly…love found. (publisher)

My take: The High Tide Club by Mary Kay Andrews is the story of a group of women who are connected by secrets. When the group widens to include a new generation of women those secrets may be exposed and could have devastating consequences for all – or maybe the truth will set them free. The dual-storyline alternates between events of 1941 and present day. The historical backdrop and social construct of the 1940s give depth to the novel. There’s a big mystery to be solved as well as a few smaller ones. I appreciated the occasional twist in the plot. I also enjoyed the characters – some were quite colorful and made me laugh. All in all, an entertaining read that I can recommend.

Praise for The High Tide Club:

“Andrews creates a story that is at turns suspenseful, sad, and hopeful, with plenty of surprising twists.Her dialogue is natural and funny,and even her minor characters are fully drawn with unique voices…Another satisfying summer read from the queen of the beach.” —Kirkus

“A compelling novel about the people and places that shape a life and the secrets that create ripples for generations. With a unique setting, mysterious flashbacks, romance, and a surprising twist, this book will not disappoint readers looking for a juicy escape.” —Booklist

“Andrews has crafted a smart and wonderful beach read with a lot of rich Southern and historical details.” —RT Book Reviews

“Nothing says the start of summer like a new book from Mary Kay Andrews…An irresistible story of love, friendship, and skinny-dipping.” —PopSugar, Best New Books for Spring

A Southern Living Beach Books recommended read!

About the author:

MARY KAY ANDREWS is The New York Times bestselling author of The Beach House Cookbook, The Weekenders, Beach Town, Save the Date, Ladies’ Night, Christmas Bliss, Spring Fever, Summer Rental, The Fixer Upper, Deep Dish, Blue Christmas, Savannah Breeze, Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies, and Savannah Blues. A former journalist for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Connect with Mary Kay Andrews:

 

US Giveaway
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Tin Man by Sarah Winman

Mary Literary Fiction, Putnam, Sarah Winman

Tin Man by Sarah Winman

G.P. Putnam’s Sons (May 15, 2018)

Review copy provided by Putnam

Description:

Ellis and Michael are twelve-year-old boys when they first become friends, and for a long time it is just the two of them, cycling the streets of Oxford, teaching themselves how to swim, discovering poetry, and dodging the fists of overbearing fathers. And then one day this closest of friendships grows into something more.

But then we fast-forward a decade or so, to find that Ellis is married to Annie, and Michael is nowhere in sight. Which leads to the question: What happened in the years between?

With beautiful prose and characters that are so real they jump off the page, Tin Man is a love letter to human kindness and friendship, and to loss and living. (publisher)

My take: Tin Man is a slim novel (224 pages) that made me overflow with emotions (yes, it really did) as I read the story of Ellis, Michael and Annie. It is about loss, betrayal, unconditional acceptance and, ultimately, love – in many forms.  It was sad and lovely and filled with lush (yet spare) descriptions that easily pulled me into each scene. From now on I’ll think of Tin Man when I see Vincent van Gogh’s sunflower paintings. Read the publisher’s description – if it sounds like a book you might like to try I think you should. I’m so glad I did. Book groups would find it a good discussion book. Many thanks to Putnam for sending a review copy.

Praise for TIN MAN:

“A beautiful book—pared back and unsentimental, assured, full of warmth, and told with a kind of tenderness that makes you ache.” —Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

“This is an astoundingly beautiful book. It drips with tenderness. It breaks your heart and warms it all at once.” —Matt Haig, author of How to Stop Time

“Such an exquisite package of literary merit.”—Annie Philbrick of Bank Square Books

“Winman is a master storyteller…”—Gayle Shanks of Changing Hands Bookstore

“…one of the most loving stories of our time.”—Luisa Smith of Book Passage

“Subtle, piercing, achingly beautiful…”—Marion Abbott of Mrs. Dalloways

“Tin Man is a perfect read.” —Alison Reid of Diesel, A Bookstore

“A beautiful little book…”—Kurestin Armada of Little City Books

“It’s just perfect in every way.”—Maria Roden of Orinda Books

“I didn’t cry, but I ached.” —Todd Miller of Arcadia Books

About the author:

Sarah Winman is the author of two novels, When God Was a Rabbit and A Year of Marvelous Ways. She attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and went on to act in theatre, film, and television. Sarah grew up in Essex and now lives in London.

 

Spotlight of Upcoming Titles on the TBR list

Mary Spotlight

Time to spotlight a new season of books that have found their way to my house. I think they all sound terrific! Content provided by the publishers. 

 

Welcome to your perfect summer escape: THE SUMMER SAIL by Wendy Francis (on sale May 1 2018; Touchstone; $16.00 Trade Paperback Original; 978-1-5011-8891-6) has all the elements of a refreshing summer cruise—pink-sand beaches, exotic cocktails, and of course, some secrets buried deep below the surface.

THE SUMMER SAIL, which unites three former college roommates as they embark on a vacation to Bermuda with their families in tow. But they soon realize their adult problems won’t disappear at the beach or during cocktail hour. Illness threatens, the bond between parent and child is strained, and true love seems always just out of reach. It’s a vacation they won’t soon forget, but not for the reasons they expect.

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Weekenders comes a delightful new novel about new love, old secrets, and the kind of friendship that transcends generations. The High Tide Club is Mary Kay Andrews at her Queen of the Beach Reads best, a compelling and witty tale of romance thwarted, friendships renewed, justice delivered, and true love found.

 

 

 

 

Now, in her sixth book in a series that was inspired by her own childhood summers, Wendy Wax picks up where One Good Thing left off in BEST BEACH EVER (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; May 22, 2018; $16.00). Fans will delight in catching up with familiar beloved characters and new readers will have no problem sinking into the witty and uplifting story that’s equal parts authentic and charming.

After a recent forced move and the loss of their renovation reality TV show Do Over, the friends of Ten Beach Road—Maddie, Nikki, Avery, Kyra, and Bitsy—think things can’t get any worse, but they soon discover just how uncertain their futures are.

 

 

On the shores of Cape Cod, the Bailey sisters reunite with their long-lost father for a summer of hope and forgiveness in this heartfelt novel from the author of the “sharp and evocative” (Kirkus Reviews) Mystic Summer, The Lake Season, and The Summer House, sure to appeal to “fans of Elin Hilderbrand” (Booklist).

 

 

 

 

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Night the Lights Went Out comes an exquisite new novel about best friends, family ties and the love that can both strengthen and break those bonds.

New York Times bestselling author Karen White crafts evocative relationships in this new contemporary women’s fiction novel about best friends who share a devastating secret, set in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

 

 

 

The Lost for Words Bookshop is a compelling, irresistible, and heart-rending novel, perfect for fans of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and The Little Paris Bookshop.

Loveday Cardew prefers books to people. If you look carefully, you might glimpse the first lines of the novels she loves most tattooed on her skin. But there are some things Loveday will never, ever show you. Into her hiding place – the bookstore where she works – come a poet, a lover, and three suspicious deliveries. Someone has found out about her mysterious past. Will Loveday survive her own heartbreaking secrets?

 

From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde comes a bittersweet novel about healing old wounds and finding a new place to call home…

Roseanna Chaldecott spent her life as a high-powered lawyer in Manhattan. But when her best friend and law partner dies suddenly, something snaps. Unsure of her future, Roseanna heads upstate on one tank of gas and with no plans to return.

 

 

 

A seaside town helps one young woman rediscover hope and healing in a brand-new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.

After tragedy strikes, Annie moves in to the summer cottage where her family vacationed when she was a child. Soon Annie finds herself making new friends, even developing a romance with a quiet and mysterious painter. And as she becomes part of the community, Annie learns that the surest way to heal is by making a difference in the lives of those around her.

 

 

The Book of Summer is now available in paperback – published by St. Martin’s Griffin, on-sale May 8, 2018, $16.99). Michelle Gable uses the faded pages of a guest book to transport readers back in time and introduce them to the inhabitants of Cliff House, a century-old summer home. There’s Ruby Packard, a bright-eyed newlywed on the eve of World War II, her granddaughter, Bess Codman, who returns to Cliff House after years away, and Bess’s mother, a notorious town troublemaker. Due to erosion, the once grand, Nantucket-set compound will soon fall into the sea. But before it does, Bess must pack up the house and deal with her mother, who refuses to leave. In the process, Bess uncovers the tantalizing secrets housed within its aging walls.

 

Hailed one of the best debut novels of 2017 by Goodreads Reader’s Choice Awards, POPSUGAR, and BookBub. Perfect for fans of THIS IS US and readers of Jodi Picoult. With some 5,700+ ratings and 1,074+ reviews on Goodreads averaging 4.19 stars along with 19,460 users on the want-to-read list. Praised as “an impossible-to-put-down” by the Associated Press, “marvelous” by Booklist (starred review), “a perfect choice for book clubs” by Library Journal (starred review) and “an absolutely stunning book,” by RT Book Reviews, Abby Fabiaschi’s tender story, I Liked My Life is available in paperback on May 8, 2018 (St. Martin’s Griffin, 978-1250161062).