Month: June 2020

How The Penguins Saved Veronica

Mary Berkley, Blog Tour, Hazel Prior, NetGalley, Women's Fiction

How The Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

Published:  June 16, 2020 – Berkley

E-galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Eighty-five-year-old Veronica McCreedy is estranged from her family and wants to find a worthwhile cause to leave her fortune to. When she sees a documentary about penguins being studied in Antarctica, she tells the scientists she’s coming to visit—and won’t take no for an answer. Shortly after arriving, she convinces the reluctant team to rescue an orphaned baby penguin. He becomes part of life at the base, and Veronica’s closed heart starts to open. 

Her grandson, Patrick, comes to Antarctica to make one last attempt to get to know his grandmother. Together, Veronica, Patrick, and even the scientists learn what family, love, and connection are all about. (publisher)

My take:  How the Penguins Saved Veronica is a lovely story about Veronica McCreedy. She’s on a mission to see penguins up close after watching a television documentary. No one can tell the octogenarian no because once she’s made up her mind there will be no argument. Veronica also wants to meet and get to know her grandson – someone she’s only recently discovered. The two will learn about each other’s past and could possibly grow to be close. This is a delightfully quirky story that had me laughing much of the time. There are also some deeply emotional scenes that gave depth to Veronica and Patrick. I enjoyed it all and loved the message spoken to Veronica by her father when she was a young girl: “There are three types of people in this world, Very. There are those who make the world worse, those who make no difference and those who make the world better. Be one who makes the world better, Very, if you can.”

 

Two Truths And A Lie

Mary Audible, Fiction, Goodreads First Reads, Meg Mitchell Moore, Wm. Morrow

Two Truths And A Lie by Meg Mitchell Moore

Published:  June 2020 – William Morrow

ARC courtesy of the publisher and Goodreads

Description:

Truth: Sherri Griffin and her daughter, Katie, have recently moved to the idyllic beach town of Newburyport, Massachusetts. Rebecca Coleman, widely acknowledged former leader of the Newburyport Mom Squad (having taken a step back since her husband’s shocking and tragic death eighteen months ago), has made a surprising effort to include these newcomers in typically closed-group activities. Rebecca’s teenage daughter Alexa has even been spotted babysitting Katie.

Truth: Alexa has time on her hands because of a recent falling-out with her longtime best friends for reasons no one knows—but everyone suspects have to do with Alexa’s highly popular and increasingly successful YouTube channel. Katie Griffin, who at age 11 probably doesn’t need a babysitter anymore, can’t be left alone because she has terrifying nightmares that don’t seem to jibe with the vague story Sherri has floated about the “bad divorce” she left behind in Ohio. Rebecca Coleman has been spending a lot of time with Sherri, it’s true, but she’s also been spending time with someone else she doesn’t want the Mom Squad to know about just yet.

Lie: Rebecca Coleman doesn’t have a new man in her life, and definitely not someone connected to the Mom Squad. Alexa is not seeing anyone new herself and is planning on shutting down her YouTube channel in advance of attending college in the fall. Sherri Griffin’s real name is Sherri Griffin, and a bad divorce is all she’s running from.

A blend of propulsive thriller and gorgeous summer read, Two Truths and a Lie reminds us that happiness isn’t always a day at the beach, some secrets aren’t meant to be shared, and the most precious things are the people we love. (publisher)

My take:  I love a good beachy read to start the summer season with so I was thrilled to win Two Truths and a Lie from Goodreads. I’ve read and enjoyed several books by author Meg Mitchell Moore. I like the way she writes about families – there’s always something familiar and relatable about her characters and that is true in this book – but there are big differences here as well. The story moves between two women, Rebecca and Sherri, with other characters filling in their POVs. There’s a lot going on in this book! If a story about a tightly-knit (and over-the-top) group of moms, a new family with secrets, and a picturesque seaside town setting is your kind of read you’ll want to pick up Two Truths and a Lie.

Note:  I also listened to the audio (used an Audible credit). Courtney Patterson’s narration was enjoyable.

What I’m Looking For

Mary audiobook, Blackstone Audio, Karen Grey, Rom/Com

What I’m Looking For by Karen Grey

Published:  June 23, 2020 – Home Cooked Books

Review audiobook courtesy of the author and Blackstone Audio

Description:

Recipe for a Boston Classic Cocktail: one part finance geek, one part starving actor, two shots of stubborn and a healthy squeeze of passion. Shake well and serve in a vintage glass.

 

When Kate Bishop walks into Boston’s famous Bull and Finch pub, all she’s looking for is one guy from her investment firm that she can trust to have her back—a tall order. With a salesman at her side, maybe stage fright won’t paralyze her completely when she presents her meticulously prepared research to clients. And maybe she can save her job.

 

Romance is the last thing on her to-do list, but a meet-cute with a Shakespeare-quoting bartender has her speculating on the value of diversifying her life portfolio.

 

Will Talbot is not a fan of the slick financiers who cram into his bar after each day’s closing bell. With their calls for Harvey Wallbangers and their Hermès ties, they’re all the same.

 

Except for a certain beautiful, buttoned-up brunette with fire in her eyes and a storm in her heart. They’re totally wrong for each other. He should be focusing on his upcoming audition, not coaching Kate on how to act like she’s a bona fide member of the Gordon Gekko club.

 

Problem is, they can’t seem to stay away from each other.

 

The course of true love never did run smooth, but in this 1980’s sweet-and-sexy rom-com, returns on love can’t be measured on the S&P 500. (publisher)

My take:  Kate and Will meet one night on opposite sides of a Boston bar. He makes her a drink and the rest is history. Or is it? The two are equally passionate about their careers. His is acting and hers is finance. They hit it off almost from the start so what could go wrong? I loved these two imperfect people. They were perfect for each other but could it be they met at the wrong time?

I loved listening to this ’80s romantic comedy. Karen White and Joe Arden’s narration was so enjoyable. Joe’s delivery of the Shakespeare lines was wonderful. I forget about the Bard’s genius until I hear it performed well. I enjoyed Karen Grey’s debut novel very much – from the meet-cute to the epilogue.

What I’m Looking For is the first book in the Boston Classics series and I look forward to the next book! Recommended to fans of Rom/Coms and authors like Julie James and Jill Shalvis.

About the author:

KAREN GREY is the pen name for award-winning narrator Karen White. A stage, screen and radio drama actor in Boston, New York and Los Angeles in the late 20th century, she started recording books in 1999. Now back in her home state of North Carolina, she shares a home with her family and (probably) too many pets, where she continues to narrate audiobooks as well as make up stories.

CONNECT:

eBook BUY LINKS:

 

Audiobook BUY LINKS

Narrators:

JOE ARDEN BIO

Joe Arden’s narration has been described as “sensual,” “sexy,” and “hot.” His recordings range from sweet and romantic to steamy and raw. In his spare time, Joe raises and trains rescue pitbulls and restores vintage motorcycles. Twitter @TheRealJoeArden

 

KAREN WHITE BIO

Karen White has been narrating audiobooks of all genres since 1999. Honored to be included in AudioFile Magazine’s Best Voices, she’s also a four-time Audie Finalist and has earned multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards and Library Journal starred reviews.

Praise for WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR:

“This is my first book by Karen Grey and I’m hooked.” – Rachel, Rellim Reads blog

 

“Kate and Will share a sizzling attraction and complex connection, giving me all the feels in this timeless romance.” – Jen, That’s What I’m Looking For blog

 

“Set within the Boston theater community and the (equally dramatic) world of high-stakes consulting, Grey’s wry, charming, and compulsively readable first novel demonstrates that, when it comes to romance, falling in love is only the beginning.” —Dana Sachs, author of The Secret of the Nightingale Palace

  

“Set in the 1980s, this funny yet warmhearted character-driven tale checks all the boxes for classy contemporary romance while providing the longed-for ‘something different’ readers seek out. It’s smart. It’s sexy. It’s sophisticated romance at its best.” – Lea Hensley, co-founder of Audiogals blog

Spotlight: Saving Ruby King

Mary Catherine Adel West, Fiction, Park Row, Spotlight

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West

Published:  June 16, 2020 – Park Row Books

All information provided by the publisher

Description:

Family. Faith. Secrets. Everything in this world comes full circle.

When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it’s a devastating loss that leaves her on her own with her violent father. While she receives many condolences, her best friend, Layla, is the only one who understands how this puts Ruby in jeopardy.

Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what is the price for turning a blind eye? In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla uncovers the murky loyalties and dangerous secrets that have bound their families together for generations. Only by facing this legacy of trauma head-on will Ruby be able to break free.

An unforgettable debut novel, Saving Ruby King is a powerful testament that history doesn’t determine the present and the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future.

About the author:

Catherine Adel West is a writer/editor living on the South Side of Chicago. Her experience as a black woman shapes every aspect of her writing and she is sure to be a voice for many women. Her work has been published in Black Fox Literary Magazine, Five2One, Better than Starbucks, Doors Ajar, 805 Lit + Art, The Helix Magazine, Lunch Ticket, and most recently Kaaterskill Basin Literary Journal. Saving Ruby King is her debut novel.

https://www.catherineadelwest.com

Early praise for Saving Ruby King:

“Saving Ruby King is a stunning force of a novel that has everything anyone could want in a family saga—honey-dipped prose, strikingly human characters, and a satisfying, soul-stirring conclusion that will stay with me for a long, long time.”

– Zakiya Harris, author of THE OTHER BLACK GIRL

“Told with teeth and tenderness, SAVING RUBY KING is a surprising, pedal-down debut that explores what happens when the fabrics of family, faith, and friendship snag on violent machinations of the heart. Redemption and survival share a pew with reckoning and hope here, all tangled up with the ties that bind. Catherine Adel West gifts us Chicago, the black church, and a choir of flawed, wonderfully complicated characters who flash fresh with every turn of the page, who stand against the wind, who won’t go down without a fight.”

— Leesa Cross-Smith, author of Whiskey & Ribbons and So We Can Glow

“What an astonishing book. Catherine Adel West breathes life into violence and mayhem like a poet on a new day. These are the stories we need to hear: voices of hope in a wilderness of pain.”
— Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of The Child Finder and The Butterfly Girl

“West is a bold, exciting new voice in fiction. With honesty and compassion, she brings readers beyond the headlines into the real south side of Chicago where love, church, and family abide. She makes us think not only about saving Ruby King, but about finding our own redemption as we save ourselves individually and collectively. In this assured debut, West deftly breathes life into this community with characters you’ll cry with and root for long after the last page.”

— Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie

“[An] Ambitious, keenly observant debut… West’s tale of grace, redemption, and hope would translate handily to the screen. This should enjoy wide popularity with book groups.” –Publishers Weekly

“Debut author West plays with multiple perspectives and timelines, making for a rich tale… A daring, dynamic story. A multilayered love letter to South Side Chicago’s African American faith-based community.” – Kirkus Reviews

 

Always The Last To Know

Mary Berkley, Blog Tour, Kristan Higgins, NetGalley, Women's Fiction

Always The Last To Know by Kristan Higgins

Published:  June 9, 2020 – Berkley

E-galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other…who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters– Barb’s favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John’s darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn’t be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.

Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.

Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad–and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she’s spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.

And now Barb and John will finally have to face what’s been going on in their marriage all along.  (publisher)

My take:  Always the Last to Know is the story of the Frost family. Parents Barb and John are unhappy and not thinking about celebrating their upcoming 50th anniversary. Older daughter Juliet lives what most would consider a perfect life so what’s with the frequent panic attacks? Younger daughter Sadie chases her dream of being an artist but pays the bills by teaching art at a grade school and taking orders for sofa paintings. She’s committed to living in New York for her art and that has impacted her personal life more than once. When John suffers a stroke the family is forced to decide what is truly important in their lives. I didn’t think this family seemed typical at all. Most of the time I was annoyed and frustrated by the Frosts and the other characters. It could be where I am in my life – who knows. I’ve enjoyed many of Higgins’ books but something seemed missing in this one.

 

Rough Creek

Mary Berkley, Contemporary Romance, Kaki Warner, NetGalley

Rough Creek by Kaki Warner

Expected publication:  July 7, 2020 – Berkley

E-galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

After serving eighteen months in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Dalton Cardwell is looking for a fresh start. What better place than Whitcomb Four Star Ranch? He doesn’t regret the decisions of his past–he’d choose the same roads again. But now all Dalton wants is to keep his head down and focus on the horses–and on Raney Whitcomb.

Raney is outraged when she learns her mother hired an ex-con. Raney has worked hard for the ranch, sacrificing her personal life for the dream of building on her family’s legacy. But as Dalton breaks down every misconception and even wins the good opinion of her sisters, Raney is forced to rethink her stance–and finally free herself to explore the heart-pounding tension that simmers between them. (publisher)

My take:  I’m always happy to get in at the start of a series so I didn’t hesitate to read Rough Creek – book one in Kaki Warner’s Brides of Rough Creek series. It’s a contemporary series about a Texas family who own a ranch that specializes in breeding horses. 60 year-old matriarch Coralee Whitcomb decides its time to travel and see the world. Daughter Raney is in charge of running the ranch but before Coralee leaves for a cruise she hires a new horse trainer, Dalton Cardwell. Dalton is fresh out of prison after serving eighteen months for a crime he didn’t commit but chose not to challenge when charged. Raney is appalled at her mom’s decision to hire him but decides to give him a chance. Both Raney and Dalton notice an attraction almost from the start so it was  amusing to watch that situation play out as Raney tried to deny it. Dalton was easy to cheer on – such an honorable man. And Raney was just as honorable if a bit more stubborn. I enjoyed their story and the setting. There’s a lot of horse competition detail so readers who love horses will find that aspect interesting. I’ll be on the watch for book two! 

 

Spotlight: The Marriage Game

Mary Berkley Books, Sara Desai, Spotlight

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

Published:  June 9, 2020 – Berkley

Publisher’s Description:

Layla Santos, daughter of first-generation immigrants from India, has found herself in one bad romantic rendezvous after the next, the last of which culminated in a royally catastrophic break-up, complete with a viral video capturing Layla’s less-than-wonderful response to the situation. Quickly finding herself single, jobless, and despondent, Layla returns to San Francisco, where her parents run a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant. 

Layla’s dad only wants the best for his little girl—so of course, he lets her use the office above the restaurant to try her hand at starting her own business. He also secretly signs her up for IndianGirlMatch.com, the perfect place to find a suitable husband. When her dad suddenly falls ill, Layla becomes determined than ever to launch a successful new business and make him proud.

Enter Sam Mehta, also a child of Indian-American immigrants and the self-made CEO of a corporate downsizing agency. When Sam arrives at the office space he rented (which just so happens to be located above a Michelin-starred Indian restaurant), he’s surprised to find the owner’s daughter, Layla, has already settled in. Sam is not about to give up his prime real estate without a fight. 

The pair become fast enemies—until a seemingly random suitor comes calling for Layla, the girl he was matched with on a dating site. Utterly confused, Sam and Layla soon learn about Layla’s father’s game of Cupid—and that he has agreed to meet with a number of hopeful matches for his daughter. Sam agrees to accompany Layla on these dates—until an office romance changes all the rules….

About the author:

THE MARRIAGE GAME is the first in a new OwnVoices romance series from Sara Desai, who also writes under the name Sarah Castille. Sara Desai has been a lawyer, a radio DJ, a historian, a bouncer and a librarian. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and three children.

 

Summer at Lake Haven

Mary Contemporary Fiction, HQN, NetGalley, RaeAnne Thayne

Summer at Lake Haven by RaeAnne Thayne

Expected publication date: June 23, 2020 – HQN

E-galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Samantha Fremont has been struggling with the weight of her mother’s expectations for years. But now that her mother has passed away, it’s time for Sam to be bold and finally establish the fashion design business she’s always dreamed of. And the perfect opportunity has fallen into her lap. Her friend’s getting married and has asked Sam to create her wedding dress…if only she can avoid the bride’s infuriating brother, who’s temporarily the boy next door.

Ian Summerhill knows a sabbatical in Haven Point is exactly what he and his children need to recover from their mother’s death. His romantic relationship with his ex-wife may have ended years ago, but caring for her throughout her illness broke his heart. All he wants is to watch his little sister walk down the aisle and to see his kids smile again. And somehow his lovely new neighbor is instrumental in both. But as their uneasy truce blossoms into a genuine friendship and more, Ian has obligations in England he can’t ignore—and a secret that threatens the fragile trust he and Sam have built. (publisher)

My take:  Fans of the Haven Point series will enjoy visiting the scenic Idaho town this summer. Samantha has her hands full with a successful boutique and clothing design business. She is putting the finishing touches on Gemma Summerhill’s wedding dress when she meets the bride’s brother (Ian) and his children. They rent the cottage next to hers and make a somewhat instant connection thanks to some adorable puppies. Neither Ian nor Samantha are looking for love but isn’t that just the time when love finds you?

So, if you’re a reader who enjoys a gorgeous setting, an unexpected chance for love, and the appearance of familiar characters from previous books – I think you’ll enjoy Summer at Lake Haven.



About the author: (from RaeAnne Thayne’s website)


#1 Publishers Weekly, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne has written more than 60 books for HQN, Special Edition, Intimate Moments/Romantic Suspense and Bantam Loveswept. A seven-time RITA nominee, RaeAnne has received a career achievement award from Romantic Times for series romantic adventure, as well as a Pioneer of Romance award. She finds inspiration from the beautiful mountains of northern Utah, where she lives with her family.




 

					

		
		
	




			
				


	

		

					
Spotlight:  Belladonna by Anbara Salam

								

								 Mary
															Anbara Salam, Berkley, Historical Fiction, Spotlight					
												

					


				

			


Belladonna by Anbara Salam


Berkley Hardcover; June 9, 2020


Spotlight content courtesy of the publisher 


Description:







About the author:


































Anbara Salam is half-Palestinian and half-Scottish, and grew up in London. She has a PhD in Theology and now lives in Oxford.