Must Love Flowers

Must Love Flowers by Debbie Macomber

Expected pub. date:  July 11, 2023 – Ballantine

Digital galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Joan Sample is not living the life she expected. Now a widow and an empty-nester, she has become by her own admission something of a recluse. But after another birthday spent alone, she is finally inclined to listen to her sister, who has been begging Joan to reengage with the world. With Emmie’s support, Joan gathers the courage to take some long-awaited steps: hiring someone to tame her overgrown garden, joining a grief support group, and even renting out a room to a local college student. Before long Joan is starting to feel a little like herself again.

Across town, Maggie Herbert works mornings as a barista, tending to impatient customers before rushing to afternoon nursing classes. She lives with her alcoholic father, ducking his temperamental outbursts and struggling to pay the household bills. But her circumstances brighten when she finds a room for rent in Joan’s home. In the unexpected warmth of her new situation, Maggie finds a glimmer of hope for a better life. But will Maggie’s budding attraction to one of her favorite customers ruin the harmony she’s only recently found with Joan? Meanwhile, what is Joan to make of the mysterious landscaper who’s been revitalizing her garden—a man who seems to harbor a past loss of his own?

As Maggie and Joan confront difficult life choices, they draw strength from this new friendship in surprising ways—discovering in the process that “found family” is often the very best kind. (publisher)

My take:

I’m a fan of Debbie Macomber and was delighted to read her new book. The cover is so inviting and I like the title. Both drew me to the novel.

This is the story of Joan, a 50-something widow of four years, and Maggie, a young nursing student whose mother died in recent years. Their paths bring them together and they form an unexpected bond that could be life changing. Grief played a big part in the novel and Macomber brought her characters through the journey via a support group and in other ways. Loss of spouse, parent, and children are addressed which will make the novel relatable to many readers. An epilogue neatly wrapped the various storylines.

Recommended to fans of Debbie Macomber and women’s fiction.

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The Sweetheart List

The Sweetheart List by Jill Shalvis

Expected pub. date:  June 13, 2023 – Avon

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

When Harper Shaw’s life falls apart, she knows it’s time for a change. She removes everything that doesn’t spark joy—from her soul-sucking job to eating kale to making lists—and sets off for the last place she was happy, Lake Tahoe (who wouldn’t feel good there, right?) to fulfill her dream of opening her own bakery.

With her Sugar Pine Bakery in between a tavern, owned by sexy, grumpy Bodie Campbell, and a bookstore, run by her new BFF, she feels a peace she’s never experienced since…well, forever.. Then she meets Ivy, a teenage runaway, who barrels into her heart. She sees a lot of herself in Ivy and takes her under her wing, but the teenager has secrets…

When those secrets explode, it changes Harper’s new world, and she’ll learn, it’s never too late to start over, it’s never too late to figure out your life, and best of all, it’s never too late to let yourself believe in love. (publisher)

My take:

The Sweetheart List is book 4 in the Sunrise Cove series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

The more I read Jill Shalvis’s books the more I see a theme of finding family or figuring out the family you were born into. The Sweetheart List is an uplifting story about fresh starts, learning to trust, and figuring out that it might be easier than you think to live the life you’ve dreamed of. It’s a heart-squeezing story told in the warm and humorous style I’ve come to expect from Shalvis – and that keeps her on my must read list.

Recommended to fans of contemporary romance and the author.

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The Cafe at Beach End

The Cafe at Beach End by RaeAnne Thayne

Expected publication:  June 13, 2023 – Harlequin Trade/Canary Street Press

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Publisher’s Description:

When Meredith Collins was a child, the little beach town of Cape Sanctuary lived up to its name. Spending summers there with her grandmother, Meredith finally felt safe and loved.

Now she’s returning in disgrace. Her late ex-husband swindled investors out of millions of dollars and made Meredith a figure of scorn—though she knew nothing about his scheme. But she still has the beach cottage she inherited from her grandmother and half ownership of the local café. It’s a place to work and earn a little money. That’s if her cousin, Tori, will let her through the door. Once, Tori and Meredith were as close as sisters—until Meredith chose her neglectful parents’ expectations over their bond. Now widowed with a teenage daughter, Tori isn’t setting out a welcome mat for the woman who let her down so badly.

While Meredith tries to make a fresh start, she is drawn to a mysterious writer renting the cottage next door. Liam Byrne’s kindness is a balm, though she worries he might not be so friendly if he knew who she was. But Liam has his own secret and a mission that will help Meredith confront her past—and maybe, claim a surprising future…

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My take:

It was nice to settle into a RaeAnne Thayne novel again. The Cafe at Beach End is the story of family – the people who knew you when life’s possibilities seemed limitless and full of hope. Life took cousins Meredith and Tori on different paths but they are back together and now need to find a way of being in the same place. Tori is a widowed mother of a teenage daughter and part owner of the family cafe. She’s overwhelmed by being responsible for both. Meredith lived a luxurious life until it abruptly came to an end when her swindling husband went to prison for his crimes. Old insecurities, jealousies and presumptions are a few of the obstacles that could prevent the cousins from a bright new life. I appreciated the perspectives and issues of both women and how Thayne made it easy to empathize with them.  Recommended to fans of women’s fiction and the author.

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Summer Reading

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

Published:  May 16, 2023 – Berkley

Digital galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

For Samantha Gale, a summer on Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s tiny cottage was supposed to be about resurrecting her career as a chef, until she’s tasked with chaperoning her half-brother, Tyler. The teenage brainiac is spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition, and there’s no place Sam, who has dyslexia, likes less than the library. And because the universe hates her, the library’s interim director turns out to be the hot-reader guy whose book she accidentally destroyed on the ferry ride to the island.

Bennett Reynolds is on a quest to find his father, whose identity he’s never known. He’s taken the temporary job on the island to research the summer his mother spent there when she got pregnant with him. Ben tells himself he isn’t interested in a relationship right now. Yet as soon as Sam knocks his book into the ocean, he can’t stop thinking about her.

An irresistible attraction blossoms when Ben inspires Sam to create the cookbook she’s always dreamed about and she jumps all in on helping him find his father, and soon they realize their summer fling may heat up into a happily ever after. (publisher)

My take: 

Summer Reading is the story of Samantha and Ben. She’s a talented chef who finds herself out of work and heading to Martha’s Vineyard to stay with her fourteen year old brother while their parents are on vacation. She meets Ben on the ferry in a meet-cute. Ben is great and I enjoyed the chemistry that developed between the two despite the fact that he’s a librarian and she is not a book lover. I also loved the bond that grew for Sam and her brother Tyler. I LOL’d several times as they really got to know each other.

The subject of dyslexia figured prominently in the plot and I learned more than I’d expected. I appreciated the information shared by the author about various publication choices (font, using bold type at appropriate times, etc.) that were made. All very interesting.

The love story played out with a bit of drama but I was satisfied with how Jenn McKinlay wrapped things up.

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And Then There Was You

And Then There Was You by Nancy Naigle 

Expected pub. date:  June 27, 2023 – St. Martin’s Griffin

Review galley from the publisher and NetGalley

My take:

And Then There Was You is the story of Natalie, a young widow, and the fall-out from discovering she’s been duped by the new man who swept her off her feet. Her emotions run the gamut from feeling foolish to wondering how she’ll ever be able to trust anyone again. She’s at the point of having to start over in a new home in a new town. This new start could be a blessing in disguise. What she finds is a lovely small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains and some endearing local characters who, if Natalie allows herself to trust again, will help her find a new life.

This is a nice and ultimately uplifting story about starting over. I loved Nancy Naigle’s description of setting and people. And I loved the expected happy resolution.

Recommended to fans of the author, a small town setting, and women’s fiction.

 

Description:

Reeling after falling prey to a Romeo con-artist who just waltzed away with the better part of her belongings, Natalie Maynard works closely with the detective assigned to her case, only the few leads have led nowhere.

Detective Randy Fellowes can’t promise Natalie restitution, but he’s determined to find the culprit and serve up justice. Married to his work, he’s caught off guard when Natalie has his thoughts wandering to more than the case.

Natalie soon seeks refuge in the one thing she still owns ― an old fishing cabin in the mountains of Chestnut Ridge. She quickly falls in love with the town and the eccentric people who are teaching her so much about the area and its heritage.

Through these people, and the determination of Detective Fellowes, she rediscovers her courage, self, and a reason to risk love again. (publisher)

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Identity

Identity by Nora Roberts

Expected publication:  May 23, 2023 – St. Martin’s Press

Digital copy from the publisher and NetGalley

My take:

I can always count on Nora Roberts for an addictive read. In the case of Identity that held true.

This is the story of Morgan Nash and what happens when she lets a handsome man into her life. I really don’t want to spoil with too much plot info (you can read the publisher’s blurb below) but I will say this novel had me flying through the pages because I had to know if the criminal would be stopped and how. Roberts didn’t disappoint. I have to say there are several violent scenes that I found difficult to read so I skimmed through those. As usual, the female characters are women of strength making them easy to cheer on.

I enjoyed this exciting romantic suspense novel and recommend to fans of the author and the genre.

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Description:

The #1 New York Times-bestselling author’s terrifying new thriller about one man’s ice-cold malice, and one woman’s fight to reclaim her life.

Former Army brat Morgan Albright has finally planted roots in a friendly neighborhood near Baltimore. Her friend and roommate Nina helps her make the mortgage payments, as does Morgan’s job as a bartender. But after she and Nina host their first dinner party—attended by Luke, the flirtatious IT guy who’d been chatting her up at the bar—her carefully built world is shattered. The back door glass is broken, cash and jewelry are missing, her car is gone, and Nina lies dead on the floor.

Soon, a horrific truth emerges: It was Morgan who let the monster in. “Luke” is actually a cold-hearted con artist named Gavin who targets a particular type of woman, steals her assets and identity, and then commits his ultimate goal: murder.

What the FBI tells Morgan is beyond chilling. Nina wasn’t his type. Morgan is. Nina was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. And Morgan’s nightmare is just beginning. Soon she has no choice but to flee to her mother’s home in Vermont. While she struggles to build something new, she meets another man, Miles Jameson. He isn’t flashy or flirtatious, and his family business has deep roots in town. But Gavin is still out there hunting new victims, and he hasn’t forgotten the one who got away. (publisher)

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Nora Roberts
Instagram: @norarobertsauthor
Facebook: @noraroberts
#IdentityNovel #NoraRoberts

St. Martin’s Press
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#StMartinsPress

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Strawberry Lane

Strawberry Lane by Jodi Thomas

Published:  April 25, 2023 – Kensington/Zebra

Courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Starri Knight is a big believer in fate. How else to explain the compelling connection she feels to the stranger she pulls out of a wrecked car on the very same road where her parents died twenty years earlier? Alongside Auntie Ona-May, the only mother she’s ever known, Starri saves Rusty O’Sullivan’s life—just as Ona-May once did when Starri was an orphaned babe. But convincing Rusty he has something to live for is going to take all of Starri’s faith in miracles . . .

Like a wish he hadn’t even known to make, Starri landed in Rusty’s life, filling him with a longing for a family . . . Then Jackson Landry, a new lawyer, turns up to present a surprise that will change the direction of his life: An inheritance from the father Rusty never knew—and the promise of the family he’d never had. It’s a lot for the hard-bitten loner to accept as love rushes into his life . . .

A sense of duty has Rusty heading to Honey Creek to deal with his father’s estate—and find his lost siblings. But having family is one thing, learning to love them is another. Good thing new friends are by his side to help him along the way. (publisher)

My take:

It makes me so happy to say this is the first in a new series (also a spinoff from the previous one). Strawberry Lane is the story of a young lawyer who finds himself back in his small hometown to take over his late father’s law practice. He’s like a fish out of water even though he’s in the pond he grew up in. His first case is to find the heirs of a recently deceased client. It becomes clear those heirs will be the focus of the series and I can’t wait to read more! This story of finding family is filled with interesting characters whose lives so far have been formed by how they were and weren’t raised. Told in Jodi Thomas’s usual warm and humorous style, Strawberry Lane is the perfect comfort read. I think fans of small town fiction will love it as much as I did.

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Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust

Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley

Deep Dish Mysteries, #2

Expected Pub. date:  April 25, 2023 – St. Martin’s Press

Review copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

My take:

When we last visited Geneva Bay, Delilah experienced a breakup with her fiancé, the opening of her new pizza restaurant, and a murder on the soft opening night. In this second book she has high hopes that the summer season will make for a successful re-start. It would really help to be chosen winner of the Taste of Wisconsin contest, the annual town culinary event. The news of who the celebrity judge for the contest is brings her hopes to a screeching stop. Delilah and her assistant cook have a history with the judge and know winning is probably not going to happen. Add a mysterious death at a local juice shop when Delilah was there and the drama starts to amp up. Enter Detective Cal Capone as well as other characters introduced in the first book. They all combined for a cozy that kept me guessing as they worked on solving the mystery.

This is book two in the series and I’m glad to have read book one but you can jump in with this one because Quigley did a good job of catching new readers up. Recommended to fans of foodie cozies and the author.

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Praise for Mindy Quigley and Book #1

“Fun and engaging, [with] plenty of thrills…and toppings.”

—Parade

“Every now and again a cozy comes along in which the author not only checks off all of the boxes but does such an excellent job in the process that the book totally stands out from the crowd. This is the case with Six Feet Deep Dish….Droll and witty, sophisticated and credible, this is a series to watch out for.”

—First Clue (starred review)

“Funny, exciting, suspenseful… Delilah is a breath of fresh air.”

 —Open Book Society (five stars)

“Your mouth will water from the first page of this delightful new cozy. You’ll also love the characters, and the perfectly plotted murder had me guessing the whole way through. Delilah is my new favorite amateur detective.”

—Paige Shelton, New York Times bestselling author

“Delilah O’Leary is as appealing as the pizzas she serves at her new restaurant. Fiercely loyal to her friends and employees, the strong willed, hugely competent Delilah is a cozy heroine for our times. I loved everything about her and her refreshing can-do attitude to cooking pizza, running her restaurant, and solving murders, along with the occasional healthy dose of insecurity! Six Feet Deep Dish is a wonderful start to a promising series, and I can’t wait to visit Geneva Bay and enjoy more of whatever’s being served at Delilah & Son.”

—Vicki Delany, National bestselling author

“Quigley pens a deliciously twisty mystery layered with salty suspects and packed with local flavor. Six Feet Deep Dish is sure to leave cozy readers drooling for more.”

—Julie Anne Lindsay, bestselling author

“A delight. A delicious adventure, full of wit and charm….Quigley’s excellent writing will amuse and entertain as readers immerse themselves in her twisty plotting.”

—Tracee de Hahn, author of the Agnes Lüthi Mysteries

“Delicious….Six Feet Deep Dish will only stoke your appetite for the next in this must-read new foodie cozy series.”

—Maddie Day, author of the Country Store Mysteries

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The Half of It

The Half of It by Juliette Fay

Published:  April 11, 2023 – Wm. Morrow Paperbacks

Digital copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

One perfect night. Forty years of buried hurt. One chance to make it right. Can the past ever be fixed? With humor, heart, and grace, USA Today bestselling author Juliette Fay delivers a poignant, propulsive novel about settling the past, rekindling lost friendships, and discovering love when you least expect it.            

 “I’m wondering if we can be friends again.”

When 58-year-old Helen Spencer reviews her life, what she sees are the mistakes. Over the years, things seemed to go sideways incrementally, one little wrong decision at a time. She can even pinpoint where it all started to go awry: a wonderous, romantic night in the woods her senior year of high school with a boy named Cal Crosby. A night she would soon work hard to forget.

Forty years, one marriage, three children, and one grandbaby later, suddenly there he is—Cal Crosby!—right in front of her with grandchildren of his own in tow. The chance to finally get some answers and sort out what happened is within reach. But Helen would much prefer to keep that night and all the fury, hurt, and sorrow that followed tightly locked away where she doesn’t have to face it.

 Cal Crosby, however, is ready to talk. He has no idea of the can of worms he’s about to open. In fact, he doesn’t know the half of it. (publisher)

My take:

The Half of It is a story of second chances, getting answers to life-long questions, and deciding if it’s possible to move forward. As always, I enjoyed Juliette Fay’s novel about how her imperfect characters figured things out and recommend it to fans of the author, ‘what if’ stories, and dual timelines (1970s and 2021 in this case). Just a heads up: much of the current storyline takes place mid-Covid pandemic. I’m okay reading the occasional novel set in that time but it’s not something I seek out. The author did a good job portraying how her characters handled living through that time which made them even more relatable.

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The Soulmate

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

Expected Pub. date:  April 4, 2023 – St. Martin’s Press

Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Macmillan Audio/NetGalley

My take:

Pippa and Gabe live in a cliffside cottage that seemed idyllic when they bought it. Since moving in they’ve found it to be a spot where despondent people want to end it all. Gabe has managed to dissuade several people from jumping until one evening when it seems nothing he can do or say is enough and a woman falls to her death.

This story! It was a one day read because I couldn’t put it down. It’s told from the perspectives of Gabe’s wife Pippa and that of Amanda, the woman who fell. It begs the question ‘How well do you know your soulmate?’ The short chapters made the pages fly. Sally Hepworth inserted twists at a good pace that kept me guessing on the whys and whats. An intriguing story that didn’t lag – even once. I loved that.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio (via NetGalley) for allowing me early access to the audiobook. Barrie Kreinik’s narration was wonderful. The story flowed as she gave voice to each character (even the children, which is not often my experience). Her performance enhanced the novel.

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Publisher’s description:

There’s a cottage on a cliff. Gabe and Pippa’s dream home in a sleepy coastal town. But their perfect house hides something sinister. The tall cliffs have become a popular spot for people to end their lives. Night after night Gabe comes to their rescue, literally talking them off the ledge. Until he doesn’t.

When Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, the questions spiral…Did the victim jump? Was she pushed?

And would Gabe, the love of Pippa’s life, her soulmate…lie? As the perfect facade of their marriage begins to crack, the deepest and darkest secrets begin to unravel.

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Spotlight: Georgie, All Along

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

Published:  Jan. 24, 2023 – Kensington

Description:

Longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy has made a career out of putting others before herself. When an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown, Georgie must confront an uncomfortable truth: her own wants and needs have always been a disconcertingly blank page.  
 
But then Georgie comes across a forgotten artifact—a “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. To an overwhelmed Georgie, the diary’s simple, small-scale ideas are a lifeline—a guidebook for getting started on a new path.  
 
Georgie’s plans hit a snag when she comes face to face with an unexpected roommate—Levi Fanning, onetime town troublemaker and current town hermit. But this quiet, grouchy man is more than just his reputation, and he offers to help Georgie with her quest. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side—if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back. (publisher)

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About the author:

Kate Clayborn is the critically acclaimed author of six novels. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Bookpage, and more. By day she works in education, and by night (and sometimes, by very early morning) she writes contemporary romances about smart, strong, modern heroines who face the world alongside true friends and complicated families. She resides in Virginia with her husband and their dog.

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Praise for Kate Clayborn:

“A novel of lush complexity, one bursting with humor, a tender melancholy, and meditations on love, friendship, and life.”
—Entertainment Weekly, A+ for Love Lettering

“Luminously beautiful . . . heartbreaking, wise, and wonderful.”
—Ruby Lang, author of Playing House

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The Key to My Heart

The Key to My Heart by Lia Louis

Expected publication: Dec. 6, 2022 – Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Review galley from the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Sparkly and charming Natalie Fincher has it all—a handsome new husband, a fixer-upper cottage of her dreams, and the opportunity to tour with the musical she’s spent years writing. But when her husband suddenly dies, all her hopes and dreams instantly disappear.

Two and a half years later, Natalie is still lost. She works, sleeps (well, as much as the sexually frustrated village foxes will allow), and sees friends just often enough to allay their worries, but her life is empty. And she can only bring herself to play music at a London train station’s public piano where she can be anonymous. She’s lost motivation, faith in love, in happiness…in everything.

But when someone begins to mysteriously leave the sheet music for her husband’s favorite songs at the station’s piano, Natalie begins to feel a sense of hope and excitement for the first time. As she investigates just who could be doing this, Natalie finds herself on an unexpected journey toward newfound love for herself, for life, and maybe, for a special someone. (publisher)

My brief take:

The Key to My Heart needs to be made into a movie. ASAP. I loved the characters, the struggles they dealt with, their families and friends, and the setting(s). Its a story about loss, grief and loneliness and the people who help one get through it all. Some sad parts, some laugh out loud parts, and the final scenes felt like a warm hug. Recommended to fans of Rom/Com novels.
4.5 stars

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About the author:

Lia Louis lives in the United Kingdom with her partner and three young children. Before raising a family, she worked as a freelance copywriter and proofreader. She was the 2015 winner of Elle magazine’s annual writing competition and has been a contributor for Bloomsbury’s Writers and Artist’s blog for aspiring writers. She is the author of Somewhere Close to Happy and Dear Emmie Blue. (from her Amazon author page)

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A Novel Proposal

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

Expected publication: March 21, 2023 – Thomas Nelson

Review book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

My take:

When novelist Sadie Goodwin’s latest Western book is rejected by her publisher she’s directed to change genres and, adding insult to injury, return the advance for the rejected book. She’s in financial dire straits so when she is offered a place to live free of charge while she writes in a new direction she accepts. Did I mention the house is on the North Carolina shore? Her neighbor Sam is an attractive man who seems a bit gruff yet intriguing. Turns out he’s licking some emotional wounds and just wants to be left alone for a while. These two eventually get to know each other and bond over trying to find the owner of a found object from a Little Free Library book. Add in a road trip to a destination wedding, some emotional drama, and a satisfying HEA and you have a romantic story that is exactly the kind I love to read.

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Publisher’s description:

When novelist Sadie Goodwin is forced to stop writing westerns and charged with penning a contemporary romance novel to rescue her lackluster sales, there’s only one tiny problem: She’s never been in love.

Desperate to salvage her career, Sadie begins devouring romance novels. Knowing she must devote herself to this confounding genre, she accepts an invitation to hole up at her friend’s beach duplex for the summer. Where better to witness love in bloom than on the beautiful North Carolina shore?

However, once ensconced in the charming ocean-front home with her sweet maltipoo Rio, she finds many ways to procrastinate. First there’s the beach, right outside her backdoor, with all its interesting visitors (research). Then there’s the free library she decides to build and set up by the back deck (She has to do something with all those romance novels). To say nothing of Sam Ford, the grumpy neighbor on the other side of the duplex . . . who she can’t seem to stop annoying.

A social butterfly by nature, Sadie soon gets to know all the beach regulars—sunbathers, walkers, and surfers alike. The free books draw a crowd right up to the house for nice little book chats, which further irritates her reclusive neighbor, to break up her “writing.” But things take an unexpected turn when Sadie opens a recently-placed novel to find a secret compartment—and tucked inside is a beautiful engagement ring. To whom does the ring belong? Sadie is convinced she needs to find the owner and save the man’s proposal from certain doom.

She draws a reluctant Sam into the project, and slowly their connection begins to develop. Are these weird fluttery feelings the first stirrings of love? Has Sadie managed to stumble upon the very subject about which she must write—and wouldn’t Sam make the perfect alpha hero?

Will Sadie find the ring’s rightful owner? And will she manage to pen a career-saving romance novel by summer’s end?

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The Bookshop by the Bay

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela Kelley

Expected publication date:  June 6, 2023 – St. Martin’s Griffin

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Jess loves her work as a high-profile lawyer in the respectable and austere city of Charleston. But when she finds her husband, Parker, has been cheating on her with his assistant, she retreats, with her thirty year-old daughter Caitlin for support, to her childhood home on Cape Cod, in Chatham. Caitlin has always been bright but directionless, looking for her passion but keeps coming up blank. And Jess needs to regroup with the help of good food and wine, the company of her best friend, Allison, and come up with a plan for the future.

Allison’s career has hit a low. After twenty years as an editor for the Chatham magazine, circulation is dwindling and though her boss and long-time friend, Jim, does everything to keep her, she has no choice but to take a step back. With a career on hiatus and her main relationship being with Chris, her ex-husband who is still a good friend, Allison is at a pivotal point in life. Her daughter Julia opened her own artisanal jewelry shop a year prior, and she has the kind of day-to-day fulfillment Allison yearns for.

When Allison stops into her beloved local bookstore one day and learns that the owner wants to sell, a long-held dream turns into a reality, thanks to Jess. Allison and Jess set a plan in motion and what was once a place that held warm childhood memories is now theirs to run. As the two friends, along with the help of their daughters, reopen the doors of the cherished bookstore and adjacent coffee shop to the community, they also open themselves up to the possibility of romance, the bonds of mothers and daughters, and the magic of second chances. (publisher)

My take: 

I’m not going to rehash the publisher’s synopsis so I hope you’ll read it (above). The Bookshop by the Bay is my kind of beach read. It’s women’s fiction and involves longtime friends and their daughters – all going through personal dramas.

Jess has lived in Charleston for most of her adult life. Her daughter Caitlin is grown and at loose ends so the timing couldn’t be better for the two of them to visit Jess’s mother on Cape Cod for the summer. Having found out her husband was unfaithful and clearly heading in a different direction from Jess the time away from Charleston will give her space and time to think and make some decisions.

Jess’s best friend from childhood is Allison. She has always dreamed of owning a bookstore and when the opportunity arises she can only hope to make that happen. When Jess agrees to being a business partner suddenly the future looks brighter in many ways. Allison’s daughter is a local jewelry designer whose business is taking off. She wishes her love life looked as bright.

If you’ve read enough romantic women’s fiction you’ll predict the ending and probably be right. I enjoyed it all and look forward to reading more by Pamela Kelley.

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About the author:

Pamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women’s fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you’d want as friends.

She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women’s fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There’s also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. (from Goodreads)

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Bleeding Heart Yard

Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths

Expected publication:  November 15, 2022 – Mariner Books

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

Is it possible to forget that you’ve committed a murder?

When Cassie Fitzgerald was at school in the late 90s, she and her friends killed a fellow student. Almost twenty years later, Cassie is a happily married mother who loves her job—as a police officer. She closely guards the secret she has all but erased from her memory.

One day her husband finally persuades her to go to a school reunion. Cassie catches up with her high-achieving old friends from the Manor Park School—among them two politicians, a rock star, and a famous actress. But then, shockingly, one of them, Garfield Rice, is found dead in the school bathroom, supposedly from a drug overdose. As Garfield was an eminent—and controversial—MP and the investigation is high profile, it’s headed by Cassie’s new boss, DI Harbinder Kaur, freshly promoted and newly arrived in London. The trouble is, Cassie can’t shake the feeling that one of them has killed again.

Is Cassie right, or was Garfield murdered by one of his political cronies? It’s in Cassie’s interest to skew the investigation so that it looks like it has nothing to do with Manor Park and she seems to be succeeding.

Until someone else from the reunion is found dead in Bleeding Heart Yard… (publisher)

My take:

I’m jumping into the Harbinder Kaur series in book three (it was pitched as a stand alone). Even though I don’t know a lot about her experiences in the first two books I felt that Elly Griffiths revealed enough important details. I really like DI Kaur and her team. She’s got her first big case at her new job in London and hopes to show everyone she deserves to be there.

I liked the class reunion at a posh school setting and all the trappings you’d expect. There were some surprises along the way but midway through the pace slowed for me and I grew a bit bored. What kept me reading, though, was DI Kaur and her team – and of course wanting to find out whodunnit. Will I read more in the series? If there’s another book I’ll definitely make time to read it.

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About the author:

Elly Griffiths is the author of the Ruth Galloway and Magic Men mystery series, as well as the standalone novels THE STRANGER DIARIES, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel, and THE POSTSCRIPT MURDERS. She is the recipient of the CWA Dagger in the Library Award and the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She lives in Brighton, England.

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The Direction of the Wind

The Direction of the Wind by Mansi Shah

Expected publication:  Feb. 1, 2023 – Lake Union Publishing

Review copy from Blankenship PR, Lake Union and NetGalley

Description:

Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die. She left.

Nita Shah had everything most women dreamed of in her hometown of Ahmedabad, India—a loving husband, a doting daughter, financial security—but in her heart, she felt like she was living a lie. Fueled by her creative ambitions, Nita moved to Paris, the artists’ capital of the world—even though it meant leaving her family behind. But once in Paris, Nita’s decision and its consequences would haunt her in ways she never expected.

Now that Sophie knows the truth, she’s determined to find the mother who abandoned her. Sophie jets off to Paris, even though the impulsive trip may risk her impending arranged marriage. In the City of Light, she chases lead after lead that help her piece together a startling portrait of her mother. Though Sophie goes to Paris to find Nita, she may just also discover parts of herself she never knew. (publisher)

My take:

The Direction of the Wind is an emotional journey of one young woman’s search for the truth. Having lived her early life believing one thing and then learning something completely different upon the death of her father has sent her life in a tailspin. She is reminded of the proverb her father often quoted:

The direction of the wind cannot be changed, but we can change the direction of our sails.

With themes of depression, anxiety, substance abuse (to list a few) author Mansi Shah kept me turning the pages hopeful for a positive outcome for Sophie. There were a few places where I thought things played out a bit conveniently and times where I wished for more character development. Overall, not an easy read in places but a good story.

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About the author:

Mansi Shah lives in Los Angeles. She was born in Toronto, Canada; was raised in the midwestern region of the United States; and studied at universities in Australia, England, and America. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling and exploring different cultures near and far, experimenting on a new culinary creation, or working on her tennis game. She is also the author of The Taste of Ginger. For more information, visit her online at www.mansikshah.com.

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Early praise for The Direction of the Wind

“THE DIRECTION OF THE WIND will grab your heart from the first page. Beautifully written, this haunting story about a young woman searching for her mother is heartbreaking and uplifting as it immerses you in both Ahmedabad, India, and Paris, France. Mansi Shah is now a must-read author for me.”

―Lyn Liao Butler, author of Red Thread of Fate

 

“A poignant and heart-wrenching story that explores the footsteps of the past as well as the ties of family and the bravery needed to break free. Mansi Shah’s latest novel takes the reader on a journey of love, risk, betrayal, and forgiveness.”

―Gian Sardar, author of Take What You Can Carry

 

“The Direction of the Wind is an unexpected and compelling exploration of the way culture shapes us. This is a gritty, lyrical,heartbreaking, and deeply moving novel. I found myself reading far into the night, unable to leave behind the quest of these two women, a generation apart. Mansi Shah writes with a fresh voice and clear eyes.”

―Barbara O’Neal, USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids

 

“Mansi Shah’s second novel, The Direction of the Wind, is an absorbing exploration of the price of passion and blazing one’s own path despite the weight of convention, family obligations, even motherhood. Using interlocking mother-daughter perspectives spanning decades and continents, Shah gives an unflinching portrayal of lost innocence, addiction, and misplaced romance. Despite heavy losses, thisis a hopeful novel set in the city of light, where love prevails in unlikely frienfdships and the unbreakable bond of chosen family. Perfect reading

for travelers and journeys of the heart.”

―Yoojin Grace Wuertz, author of Everything Belongs to Us

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Once Upon a December

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert

Published: October 4, 2022 – Berkley

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn’t just a seasonal specialty—it’s a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra’s yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She’s ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.
 
For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He’s never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he’s been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.
 
After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they’re feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa. (publisher)

My take:

Amy Reichert’s Once Upon a December is a sweet romance filled with hot cocoa (sometimes spiked), yummy kringle and an intriguing hero and heroine. It is a magical story and especially enticing to me because it’s set in my area with mentions of familiar landmarks which made it even more fun to read. Astra and Jack live their lives separately each year until their paths intersect at the annual Christmas Market. They seem to enjoy their lives but also experience a certain loneliness that disappears at this special time of year when they meet up again. They definitely have a special attraction to each other but can they overcome the obstacles that could prevent a HEA? You’ll have to read to find out! Now is when I tell you that there were moments when I was pulled out of the story by having to figure out logistics. That’s could be just my issue but I felt I needed to give a heads up. It was a bit distracting. Ultimately I found Once Upon a December to be a frothy, magical story that takes a few unexpected turns making it quite different from others I’ve read in the Christmas Romance genre.

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About the author:

Amy E. Reichert is an author, wife, mom, Wisconsinite, amateur chef, and cider enthusiast. She earned her MA in English Literature and serves on her library’s board of directors. She is a member of Tall Poppy Writers. Learn more at: www.amyereichert.com.

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The Wedding Ranch

The Wedding Ranch by Nancy Naigle

Expected publication:  December 6, 2022 – St. Martin’s Griffin

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

When Lorri Walker’s husband gifted her with a mastiff puppy on Valentine’s Day, she believed he was recommitting himself to their marriage after going astray. Six months later, he left both her and their dog for someone else. Since her recent move to Dalton Mill to unbraid herself from the past, Lorri’s graphic design business is now flourishing, her growing mastiff, Mister, has plenty of space to romp, and her ex in Raleigh can fade to a distant memory.

Ryder Bolt is haunted by the tragic loss of his wife and young son seven years ago. Thankfully, ranching keeps Ryder busy, and spending time with his niece and nephew—whose venue, The Wedding Ranch, has become a popular tourist destination—keeps him from getting lonely.

When Lorri and Ryder met, love was the last thing they were looking for. When they’re together, smiles come easier and burdens feel lighter, and both are embracing the possibility of something deeper.

But when a long-buried revelation surfaces, the fate that brought them together threatens to tear them apart. (publisher)

My take:

The Wedding Ranch is a story of two people who meet and form a friendship that grows into something more. They’ve lived through life-changing emotional pain and loss but are in a place where they’re ready to move forward in life. Sounds like they’ll get their happily ever after, right?  But there is something that could change everything.There was foreshadowing early on in the novel so I was waiting to see when and how things would play out. I have to say figuring things out so early on kind of took me out of the story. Still, I liked how Naigle brought Lorri and Ryder on their emotional journey of discovery and forgiveness. I also liked the setting and, of course, Mister the dog.

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About the author:

USA TODAY Bestselling author, Nancy Naigle, writes love stories from the crossroad of small town and suspense.

With a career spent on the cutting edge of technology in the banking industry, she never let go of her dream to write. Now she works full-time writing stories that are a calming blend of community, family, and the simple things in life. She writes the kind of stories she hopes will provide an escape from the hectic day-to-day in the make believe worlds she creates.

Aside from writing she enjoys hunting for treasures in junk and antique shoppes, and getting crafty no matter what the medium from painting and digitizing embroidery designs, to weaving pine needle baskets. She also enjoys horseback riding on her palomino, Tooter.

A Virginia native, and spending most of her life in the Tidewater area, she now calls North Carolina home.

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Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray

Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray

Expected publication date:  Nov. 29, 2022 – Berkley

Digital galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

In Woodland Park, a small town nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Anderson Kelly and Chelsea Davis were once the high school “it” couple—the star quarterback and the valedictorian. They broke up when Anderson joined the army and one poor decision at a fraternity party changed Chelsea’s life. Now, she works long shifts in a senior center to support her nine-year-old son, Jack.

After multiple tours in Afghanistan, Anderson has changed, too—physically scarred but mentally strong—and he decides to move back to Woodland Park. Anderson and Chelsea steer clear of each other to avoid reopening old wounds, until they are forced to reconnect through the senior center. They soon discover that the love they once shared never completely vanished. But it will take a fire, a dangerous collision, and the love of one little boy to help Anderson and Chelsea see that the future they’ve always yearned for is in sight… (publisher)

My take:

Coming Home is a lovely second chance contemporary romance. Anderson and Chelsea were very much in love as high school students but went their separate ways after graduation – his path to the Army and hers to college. Ten years later they are back living in their hometown where their paths cross once again. Anderson now works at the fire department as a paramedic and Chelsea works at the local senior center. Both were profoundly changed by the experiences in their time apart. Will they give themselves the chance to know each other again?

I loved how author Shelley Shepard Gray’s story played out and especially appreciated the subplot involving older characters. It was nice to see them play more of a role than simply background filler. I look forward to seeing where Gray’s series goes in the second book (due out in 2023).

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About the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

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Kit McBride Gets a Wife

Kit McBride Gets a Wife by Amy Barry

Published:  Aug. 23, 2022 – Berkley

Review galley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley

Description:

The four McBride brothers have their worlds turned upside down when their precocious younger sister secretly places an advertisement for a mail-order bride.

Kit McBride knows that Buck’s Creek, Montana, is no place to find a wife. Between him and his three brothers—plus little Junebug—they manage all right on their own, thank you very much. But unbeknownst to Kit, his sister is sick to death of cleaning, cooking, and mending for her big brothers, so she places an ad in The Matrimonial News to get them hitched.
 
After Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland, she found employment with an eccentric but poor widow. When her mistress decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride, Madd​y is dragged along for the ride to Montana. But en route to the West, Maddy is suddenly abandoned and left to assume the widow’s name, position, and matrimonial prospects….
 
With no other recourse in the wilderness, Maddy must convince Kit not only is she who she says she is, but she’s the wife he never knew he needed. (publisher)

My take:

First in a new series, Kit McBride Gets a Wife is set in 1880s Montana. Its about a family of brothers – and their sister who is tired of doing everything for them that a mother would do. She decides it is time for her to find her replacement. Light in tone and at times tender this is an entertaining story that will leave many readers and fans of the western historical romance sub-genre smiling. My one quibble was that the dialogue seemed too modern at times. I would prefer it to be more “of the era”.

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About the author:

Amy Barry writes sweeping historical stories about love. She’s fascinated with the landscapes of the American West and their complex long history, and she’s even more fascinated with people in all their weird tangled glory. Amy also writes under the names Amy T Matthews and Tess LeSue, and is Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Flinders University in Australia. To learn more, visit: https://amy-barry.com/.

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