SANDWICH is a poignant story that resonated with me, as I'm in the same boat as the main character Rocky, sandwiched between aging parents and new aduSANDWICH is a poignant story that resonated with me, as I'm in the same boat as the main character Rocky, sandwiched between aging parents and new adult children. Not everything she went through was relatable to me, but I found myself nodding my head in agreement or in empathy for most of the book, as she navigated this moment of middle-age. I could definitely understand her nostalgia for the past. This is a wonderful character-driven story with many humorous passages balanced with ones that made me teary-eyed. Perhaps it's because I'm reading this at just the right time in my life, but I adored this book....more
I grabbed this one because of the You've Got Mail comparison and the 90s nostalgia, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. I'm torn over hI grabbed this one because of the You've Got Mail comparison and the 90s nostalgia, but I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. I'm torn over how to rate this book, maybe 2.75 stars? The prose is lovely, and I was certainly invested in how the story would play out, but I also felt like it was too long and slow in parts, and the infidelity was ick. The last 20% of the book was probably my favorite....more
3.5 Stars — The Bad Friend was a bit different from the other short stories I've read from this collection. It was very unsettling, and downright depr3.5 Stars — The Bad Friend was a bit different from the other short stories I've read from this collection. It was very unsettling, and downright depressing too. I did like how time moved quickly over the main character's lifetime to see the consequences of her actions. This is what happens when you're never satisfied with what you've got....more
THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE WILD is a compulsive domestic thriller set on a remote Alaskan homestead. The protagonist Liv is trapped there, held prisoner byTHE BEAUTIFUL AND THE WILD is a compulsive domestic thriller set on a remote Alaskan homestead. The protagonist Liv is trapped there, held prisoner by her husband. As winter quickly approaches, she has to figure out a way to escape with her young son in tow.
I thought this would be a “chased through the wild” thriller, but it was quite different from what I was expecting, and I enjoyed it. Liv processes a lot of heavy secrets and emotional baggage as she struggles to survive on the homestead, learning much about herself and her husband. There aren’t a lot of big twists, and most of the action takes place at the very end, but I was still on pins and needles waiting to see how everything would play out.
I would recommend this introspective and engrossing survivalist tale to thriller readers looking for something a bit different.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book. Opinions are my own....more
This is a strange book about a 40-year old woman OBSESSED with her husband of 13 years and the lengths she goes through to keep him hers. It's describThis is a strange book about a 40-year old woman OBSESSED with her husband of 13 years and the lengths she goes through to keep him hers. It's described as suspenseful and darkly funny, but I found neither to be really true. However, I didn't dislike the book; it was just different than what I was expecting.
The protagonist is a maddening character and readers are trapped in her head with her troubling thoughts. I'm not sure the epilogue was a satisfying enough payoff after enduring this woman, but maybe you could take the whole thing as a cautionary tale.
I think that Maud Ventura is a talented writer, and Emma Ramadan did a beautiful job translating her words into English from the original French. Oddly enough, the protagonist in this book is also a French to English translator.
I would recommend this to fans of quiet psychological suspense novels, perhaps like Mrs. March. Borrowed from the library....more
Though beautifully written, this was a tough book to read, as it tackles some heavy subject matter. Given the circumstances, I think you n3.75 Stars →
Though beautifully written, this was a tough book to read, as it tackles some heavy subject matter. Given the circumstances, I think you need to suspend disbelief in order to appreciate the story’s message of forgiveness.
The main character Sara was sexually assaulted at 18, and she gives birth to a daughter as a result, whom she raises in secret, far away from her imprisoned assailant and his wealthy family. Eight years later, Sara and daughter Alana must return to Savannah when her father falls ill.
Here’s where the tricky part comes in: Sara befriends her attacker’s identical twin brother Jacob, and she allows him to tutor her genius daughter, as long as he keeps her existence a secret from the rest of his family. Then Sara and Jacob’s relationship starts to develop into something more. Identical twin? Hmm.
This was a heartbreaking story that’s able to leave readers with a sense of hope. I was in awe of the strength of Sara’s character as she struggled with her trauma and her role as mother to Alana. My heart went out to Jacob as he tried to put the pieces of his broken family together.
One part of the writing I did not care for was how Sara’s father would only speak in poetry. When asked a question he would recite lines of his favorite poems, which unfortunately annoyed me after a while. It slowed down the pace trying to decipher what his answers meant, and there was a lot of poetry in this book.
Aside from the poetry, I found myself easily absorbed in this emotional story. I struggled a bit with the redemption parts, but I feel the author did a beautiful job with this uncomfortable and unique debut novel.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a digital review copy of this book. Opinions are my own....more
Though contemporary romance isn't a genre I pick up often, something about the premise of this book compelled me to give it a read, and I'm s4.5 Stars
Though contemporary romance isn't a genre I pick up often, something about the premise of this book compelled me to give it a read, and I'm so glad I did.
The main character Constance is a people pleaser, always willing to give up pieces of herself for others, and never feeling like she's enough. When her fiancé gives her a stunning antique engagement ring, she sets out to discover its provenance through a very old book of letters from WWI. The answers she finds help to guide her down her own path of self-discovery.
I wasn't expecting this to be such an emotional read, but I got teary eyed several times. My heart went out to Constance and her struggle with low self-esteem and her difficult relationships with others. She was such a sweet person.
There's a bit of mystery that Constance finds within the book of letters, and a lovely slow-build romance that came with a couple of surprising twists. I highly recommend this uplifting story of finding self-worth, true love, and having the courage to accept the past and set a new course in life.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book. Opinions are my own....more
This was an engrossing and unique family drama/mystery/suspense set in the Appalachian woods of Alabama. The story is told from the POVs of three sistThis was an engrossing and unique family drama/mystery/suspense set in the Appalachian woods of Alabama. The story is told from the POVs of three sisters and their sister-in-law. As the family gathers for their grandmother's funeral, buried secrets, both past and present, threaten to come to the surface. I enjoyed how the author hid the identity of the missing person until later in the book, which definitely added to the suspense.
I loved these sisters, and I was quickly pulled in by their dilemmas. Each one had her flaws, but all were complex and compelling. Overall, this was an entertaining story about the strength of sisterly bonds, with some Southern Gothic atmosphere and revenge mixed in....more
An annual Memorial Day block party ends in murder, while the many hidden dark secrets and scandals of a group of well-to-do neighbors are 3.75 Stars →
An annual Memorial Day block party ends in murder, while the many hidden dark secrets and scandals of a group of well-to-do neighbors are brought to the surface. But who is dead, and who is the killer?
The events during the year leading up to the fateful party are told from two POVs, a mother and her teenage daughter. So much drama! There was a big cast of characters, and everyone had something to hide, and everyone was in someone else's business.
Overall I thought this book was an entertaining family drama/mystery with some juicy twists, a few I suspected, and some that took me by surprise. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but I was pulled in by their dilemmas and curious to see how they were woven together. I felt the book was a bit too long, but it wrapped up with a satisfying ending. This would make a fantastic Netflix series!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a digital review copy of this book. Opinions are my own....more
4.5 Stars → Would I lie to you? Umm, yes, she did. Faiza's plight in this book was so nerve-racking!
After her husband Tom is laid off from his job in 4.5 Stars → Would I lie to you? Umm, yes, she did. Faiza's plight in this book was so nerve-racking!
After her husband Tom is laid off from his job in banking, Faiza finds herself in a terrible predicament. Their £75,000 savings account is empty, all of it secretly spent by Faiza to keep up with their affluent friends and neighbors. Instead of confessing her financial infidelity, she tries to find ways to cover up what she's done, but the hole she's in just gets deeper.
As a British Pakistani woman married to a white man, Faiza feels immense pressure to fit in with the white moms in their social circle. She wants to protect her children from the racism she faced as the child of poor immigrant parents as much as possible. Does that excuse her lying and secret spending? I was rooting for her as she attempted to make things right.
Though this book is billed as women's contemporary fiction, it had the page-turning suspense of a thriller — fast-paced and great tension throughout. I could NOT put it down! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ♥...more
This book was so charming and uplifting. Anders is a journalist working for a small newspaper when he gets assigned to cover the annual cake walk on rThis book was so charming and uplifting. Anders is a journalist working for a small newspaper when he gets assigned to cover the annual cake walk on remote Frick Island. It's a place without internet and without cell phones, but what it does have is a curious story about a young widow named Piper who acts as though her husband Tom is still alive, and an entire town that goes along with it.
I did question the town's decision to pretend that Tom was really there (helpful or harmful?), but I decided to suspend disbelief and go with it too!
Anders's real dream is to be a famous podcaster, and Piper's peculiarity could be just the hook to reel in thousands of listeners — but at what cost? I liked Anders. He was soooo not what you'd picture as a romantic hero. Awkward. Kind of goofy, though not really meaning to be. A good heart, but not perfect by a long shot.
THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND takes a unique premise and adds a little mystery and romance to create a sweet story of love, loss, and loyalty. I wish it had been more emotional like the author's last book, You Were There Too, but I still enjoyed it and recommend as the perfect summer read!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Wow, I loved this book! THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME is an unputdownable twisty suspense novel and family drama that hooked me right away. • Owen and HannaWow, I loved this book! THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME is an unputdownable twisty suspense novel and family drama that hooked me right away. • Owen and Hannah have only been married a short time when he suddenly disappears. Owen's last message to Hannah was a note saying, "Protect her," and she immediately knows he's referring to his 16-year old daughter, Bailey, whose own mother died when she was very young. • Hannah and her stepdaughter have a chilly relationship, with Bailey wanting nothing to do with her. However, their quest to figure out what happened to Owen and what he's been hiding begins to change their dynamic. • This is one of the best domestic suspense novels I've read, with realistic characters and a believable story. I enjoyed the author's wonderful, absorbing writing. The last line of the book got me choked up a bit! Highly recommended. ♥ • Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I'm torn over this book. I feel like OF WOMEN AND SALT paints a distressing and realistic picture of immigration to the US, particularly what it's likI'm torn over this book. I feel like OF WOMEN AND SALT paints a distressing and realistic picture of immigration to the US, particularly what it's like for women from Latin America entering the country illegally. I would call it a timely novel, though detention centers, family separation, and deportation have been going on for many years. • My issue with this book was its lack of a strong plot. This has been mentioned in other reviews, but it's more a collection of short stories, some very compelling and others not so much. The novel alternates between several different time periods (not chronologically) and POVs from different generations of women from a Cuban/Cuban American family. It also includes the story of a mother and daughter from El Salvador, whom I loved the most. • This was a short novel, and with the choppy nature of the chapters I felt like the story was missing something that would have tied everything together. There were also characters I wish had been fleshed out more, like Maria Isabel who worked in a cigar factory in 1860s Cuba. I wanted to know more about her life. • OF WOMEN AND SALT is a heartbreaking book that explores mother/daughter bonds, loss, survival, and desperate choices. I just wish it had been more cohesive. • Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
Wow! I've seen THE PUSH getting a lot of buzz on Instagram, and I can certainly see why. The subject matter is chilling and flat-out★ BOTM Club Pick ★
Wow! I've seen THE PUSH getting a lot of buzz on Instagram, and I can certainly see why. The subject matter is chilling and flat-out tragic, but I couldn't quit reading.
The story is told in second person, with the narrator being Blythe, and the "you" she's taking to, her husband, Fox. Blythe's own mother, and her mother before her, were cold & neglectful. Was it mental illness, or simply a lack of desire to be a mother? Blythe wants to give her new baby, Violet, the love and affection she missed as a child. But, things don't go as planned, and Blythe soon senses that something is wrong with Violet.
This book tackles the struggles of motherhood, generational trauma, and the "nature versus nurture" debate in a gripping way. My mind kept wrestling over Blythe and Violet's characters, wondering if there really was something "off," or whether it was imagined. Either way, what a devastating situation to be in.
THE PUSH is a remarkable debut novel from Ashley Audrain, and she's definitely going on my auto-buy list!...more
4.5 Stars — THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES is a gorgeously written novel about siblings who uncover shocking family secrets after the☆ Stunning Debut ☆
4.5 Stars — THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES is a gorgeously written novel about siblings who uncover shocking family secrets after their mother Geneva Bruce dies unexpectedly.
Lila and Henry have avoided their childhood home in Wesleyan, Georgia, for most of their adult lives. Their relationship with Geneva was strained, yet their younger sister (who never left) was very close to their mother. All three Bruce children are baffled as to why Geneva died under the muscadine arbor in the middle of the night, and they also have no idea about the secrets she kept hidden for decades that will upend their lives.
The prose is lovely and lyrical, and you can pull passages from every page and say "wow!" As someone who grew up in small-town Georgia, I can say that the author perfectly captured the South in her rich descriptions and within her characters. If you enjoy compelling women's fiction with true Southern flair, move this book to the top of your list!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
"It is the nature of the earth to shift. It is the nature of fragile things to break. It is the nature of fire to burn."
THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS i"It is the nature of the earth to shift. It is the nature of fragile things to break. It is the nature of fire to burn."
THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS is a wonderful and absorbing story of survival, friendship, and motherhood. Set during the time of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, this work of historical fiction weaves together a bit of mystery and an emotional family drama with characters I won't soon forget.
Sophie is an Irish immigrant who answers a mail-order bride ad placed by a man in San Francisco. It seems like widower Martin Hocking can provide her with the life she craves — a comfortable home far away from the slums in New York City, and a child to raise named Kat, the young daughter of Martin and his deceased wife.
Sophie's relationship with her new husband is odd, and sometimes his behavior is unusual, but she has security and a family, and that's what matters. That is, until a very pregnant woman named Belinda shows up at her house the night before the great earthquake. The lives Sophie, Kat, and Belinda have known are about to come crashing down figuratively & literally!
I won't go further into the plot, but just know that if you're a fan of 20th century historical fiction, I highly recommend THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS. Susan Meissner is a gifted story teller who creates complicated characters readers will understand and enjoy.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
This book may have my favorite cover art this year. :-) I enjoyed the premise and beginning of this book, where the three Sweeney sisters discover theThis book may have my favorite cover art this year. :-) I enjoyed the premise and beginning of this book, where the three Sweeney sisters discover they have a 4th sister via a DNA testing database just after their father's death. Overall though, the plot wasn't very strong and lacked the emotional punch you'd expect. It was an ok read, just didn't grab me completely....more
THE VANISHING HALF is a truly spellbinding novel. I was completely immersed in the characters' lives, relationships, secrets, and struggles. I did notTHE VANISHING HALF is a truly spellbinding novel. I was completely immersed in the characters' lives, relationships, secrets, and struggles. I did not want the book to end! {Nook}...more
THE HEATWAVE is a completely absorbing family drama and simmering psychological thriller!
In the summer of 1993, Sylvie and her teenage daughter, Emma,THE HEATWAVE is a completely absorbing family drama and simmering psychological thriller!
In the summer of 1993, Sylvie and her teenage daughter, Emma, return to their home in the South of France after a ten year absence. After she learns of some vandalism on the property, Sylvie decides it's time to fix up La Reverie and sell it. This is a difficult place to face again, as it's filled with painful memories of the tragedy involving her troubled first child, Elodie. Emma remembers very little about her older sister, and Sylvie's not sure how much longer she can shield her from their disturbing family secrets.
"I would die for her, without hesitation. I am her mother. It's just that, sometimes, I wish I wasn't. I am her mother but I wish I wasn't."
The story is told from Sylvie's point of view in alternating time periods — during the summer of 1993, and then 1968 forward — as we learn about the disturbing mother/daughter relationship between Sylvie and Elodie during her childhood. What does a mother do if her child is evil? How far would she go to protect one daughter from the other? Elodie's character was truly creepy! The tension surrounding what she might do next was unsettling.
THE HEATWAVE is an atmospheric Gothic suspense with an amazing and unique setting. The characters and their conflicts are memorable, the writing and descriptions are gorgeous (I enjoyed the French mixed in), and the reveal at the end was perfect. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
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