Joy

 

Allegra had an awful childhood. It’s amazing she turned out to be a decent human being!  Her mother abandoned her as a child to relive her partying life. Her father was career military. She was raised by reluctant grandparents. She falls in love in college with a West Point graduate who begins his military service. As he suffers from the effects of this service, he chooses the military over her. She has no one and relocates to California. There her life begins.  

This is a story of hope and redemption, but her childhood is just so sad. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  

A Novel Summer

 

A trio of friends in a special place for all of them- Provincetown in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  The story centers around a town bookshop.  Colleen  runs the bookshop handed down from her parents.  Her parents want to sell the bookshop and Colleen is taking this summer to try to increase business and keep it open.  Shelby returns to Provincetown for the summer after being fired from her job in New York City.  Her new novel is out, but it is offensive to friends and family back in Ptown, notably her best friend, Hunter.  She returns for a book signing and stays for a while since she is unemployed.  Hunter's family has a fabulous home in Provincetown and completes the trio of best friends.  She is looking for meaning and purpose  in life and ends up working for a local publisher.  All three best friends are tied to the book industry!  The story is their connection, their love interests and what is meaningful in life.

I just love Jamie Brenner's books and this one is no exception.  Her descriptions of the town, the relationship among the friends and the obstacles they overcome are wonderful.  Don't miss this beach read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tangled Up In You

 

Ren grew up in an unusual situation- off the grid with parents who trusted no one.  Why?  She is home schooled, mostly self-taught.  She pleads with her parents to college, even though she is 24 years old, and secures a scholarship.  Fitz is a star student trying to escape his past.  Even though Ren is very focused on her studies, an assignment in her immunology class changes the course of her life.  She and Fitz take a trip to visit significant others in their lives and this trip changes the course of their futures.  Wow!  The secrets that are uncovered!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  

The Summer Pact

 

This book is about 4 close friends who come together 10 years later. My how their lives have changed! College was a time that cemented their friendships. But, a tragedy changes the course of their lives. Lainey is from California and has realized her dream of becoming an actress. Tyson is a young black man who is a scholar, an attorney by default. Hannah is getting married, that is, until she discovers the truth about her fiancé' which creates much upheaval.
The weeks they spend together resolves many issues in their lives and creates others. The relationships between the 4 main characters in this book makes this novel. The reader feels like you could just jump into a conversation with them. This is a great summer beach read, or a read for the lazy days of summer.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Seaside Sisters

 

Hannah is an author who lives in Brooklyn and writes romantic comedy books.  Her hometown is Chatham on Cape Cod.  She is experiencing writer's block and her next book is due at the end of summer.  Her mother recently died and she recently ended a 2 year romantic relationship. She's not looking for love at this time.  She decides a change of scenery would help her writer's block and will spend the summer in Chatham at the oceanfront home of her aunt.  Her sister, Sara, husband and 4 children also live in Chatham.  Sara was a librarian but is now a full time wife and mother.  She longs for a return to the world of literature and the company of others during the day.  

Hannah has a great summer in Cape Cod.  She makes friends, renews old friendships and begins to write again.  This story follows the lives of not only Hannah, but also her sister and her aunt.  The characters are so well-developed that you wish you were one of the sisters in this family.  I didn't want this story to end!  It is a lovely story filled with family love and connections, the life of an author, the legal profession and what makes life meaningful.  Don't miss this wonderful story!  A perfect summer read.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wait

 

Elise grew up on Nantucket Island, an ideal setting, but in a dysfunctional family. Her father left the family early on and her Brazilian mother struggled to provide for the family. She went away to college and did not return home for 4 years. The night before graduation, her younger sister calls to say their mother disappeared. Where has she gone? Against her will?
Elise and her younger sister work to pay the rent and survive. When they are evicted, they move into the guest house of her college friend, Sheba. Will their friendship survive when there is such disparity between being poor and super rich? Will the girls every find their mother?
This is a story of survival, friendship and struggles in life. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summers at the Saint

 

Summer doesn't begin until we have a new Mary Kay Andrews book and Summer at the Saint is no exception! The Saint Cecelia is a destination resort off of the coast of Georgia. The family who owns the resort is a dysfunctional family with many secrets while trying to keep The Saint resort profitable and open. The main character is Traci, who married that "good brother". He was tragically killed in a plane crash leaving Traci as the hotel President. Her brother-in-law, Ric, is the CEO of Saint Holdings managing the company's real estate. There is always animosity between Traci and Ric. Traci has no children, Ric has a daughter named Parrish. She is the future of The Saint. Traci's best friend growing up is Shannon who has a daughter, Olivia. Olivia comes to work at The Saint. Traci and Shannon have not been close since a young boy died while they were teenage lifeguards at The Saint. Will they repair their relationship?
Something nefarious is going on that is affecting profits. Who will uncover what is really happening? Will it result in their demise?
This is one of those "I just can't put it down" books. You will want to just keep reading so that you can find out what happens next! This book is a great way to begin the summer. Don't miss this one!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Only the Brave

 

This book is set in Berlin, Germany at the beginning of WW2.  Hitler has begun his ethnic cleansing of Germany by removing Jews.  Sophia and Theresa's father is a prominent surgeon with his own private hospital.  A Nazi officer visits him and asks him to participate in eliminating Jews.  He refuses.  Theresa marries into a wealthy family.  She and her husband ended up fleeing to Switzerland after it's discovered he has a small amount of Jewish blood.  Sophia cannot leave her father as the destruction of Berlin continues.  Sophia becomes even more of an activist.  After her father is taken to a concentration camp, she enters a convent of nuns.

Will Sophia remain a nun?  Will she every find love?  This is an intriguing story, one of the WW2 stories I have not yet heard.  It is a very intriguing story.  Don't miss this one!

* I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer We Started Over

 

Eddie is living her dream life. She is living in New York City and is an assistant to a well-known romance writer. She attends glamours events, meets important people, but her boss is so dependent on her and she rarely gets a vacation. Her father was a professor at Williams College. Her mother left the family while the children were still living at home. Her father was heartbroken and moved the family to Nantucket. Eddie falls in love with Jeff, a local builder. However, she breaks up with him and moves to NYC. What scares her? Her mother was such a poor mother that Eddie does not want to repeat that experience with another child. Jeff wants to marry her and have children.
Two years later, her sister Barrett, is fulfilling her dream and opening a boutique on Nantucket. Eddie wants to go home to Nantucket for an extended period of time. to spend time with family and help Barrett. Her boss flips out and can't do without her. She agrees to work remotely part-time. Her boss shows up to spend the summer with the family. How will that work out, especially with her introvert father who hoards books while he's writing his own books.
I just love Nancy Thayer's Nantucket books! She develops such meaningful relationships between the characters. I almost felt in this book that I was one of the sisters! I did not want this book to end. Don't miss this one, it's great.
I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Evolution of Annabel Craig

 

Annabel Hayes grew up in a small conservative town in Tennessee. Her parents died when she was a teenager and she lived in a boarding house afterwards. She met, fell in love with and married George Craig, a local attorney. Someone is shot and a trial ensues. George is involved with the defense team. Both the defense and prosecution are lead by nationally known attorneys, creating quite a spectacle. A reporter comes to stay with Annabel and George while the trial is taking place, that is, until she writes a scathing article about George!
The female reporter encourages Annabel to demonstrate independence in her relationship with George. Keep in mind this is 1925 and the woman's role is very different than it is today.
This is an aspect of history that I was not aware of. It was an interesting story and I'm glad I read it. While we woman are not equal to men in many aspects, including pay, we have come a long way baby!
I received a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Finding Margaret Fuller

 

Who is Margaret Fuller? She is the most famous woman you've never heard of. She was a literary figure who spent time with Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and other "thinkers" of their time. Edgar Allen Poe said "Humanity is divided into men, women and Margaret Fuller." She broke the mold of the typical woman of her time. Women worked in the home, raised the children and were not expected to be intellectuals. While researching history for one of her books, she was the first woman who was allowed the use of the library at Harvard University. She assembled a group of women for "conversations" encouraging women to become the thinkers of their time. They discussed many topics related to equality for men and women. She is considered on of the pioneers of the women's' lib movement. Her story is just fascinating.
It's no secret that I am a big fan of Allison Pataki's work and her latest book is no exception. I finished the book this week and it's still with me. I see so many aspects of life as a woman that are influenced by Margaret Fuller. Pataki's writing is sensational. Her research and historical facts are so wonderful that I feel like I'm stepping back in history. I feel like I have book depression today because I know it's going to be a while before we get another one of Allison's books! I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Women

 

The saying that most affected Frankie's life is "women can be heroes".  She is 20 years old and just graduated from nursing school.  She grows up in paradise in a home with loving parents, a brother, ocean front on Coronado Island.  Her first nursing job at the hospital doesn't give her much spark.  In 1965 the world is in turmoil with the war in Vietnam.  Her brother leaves to serve in the military there.  Several months later, he meets his fate.  Frankie enlists in the Army as they are the only ones who will take her.  She serves in the Army Nurse Corps and is assigned to several MASH type units.  Surgery is where she lands.  She has several romantic relationships.  Will she survive Vietnam?  Will she have lasting effects of serving there?

Being a nurse, I can tell you that I have heard many stories from nurse friends who served in Vietnam.  The stories are horrific.  No one who served comes back the same person who left.  This is a story that grips you from the beginning.  It speaks to the struggles that many military returning experience.  I couldn't put this book down once I started reading it.  This is one of Kristen Hannah's best!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard

 

This is the story of 3 generations of fashion designers. Astrid Bicard is a fashion designer. She has a relationship with a male designer, Hawk Jones. At that time, women as designers are not taken seriously. While Astrid designs most of Hawk's clothing line, he gets credit. Astrid has a daughter and struggles establishing her own career as a solo female fashion designer. One day, she disappears. She leaves behind her iconic silk, white dress. mystery.
Blythe Bricard is a divorced mother of 2 children, living in Paris, and is struggling to establish her own career as a designer. Can she escape the memory of Astrid and Mizza? Will she discover what happened to Astrid Bricard.
This was a novel about fashion, the industry, relationships and mystery. It is delightful to read and has much intrigue.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.