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Category: Book Reviews

Published on Leave a comment on The One You’re With
The One You're With Book Cover The One You're With
Lauren K. Denton
Fiction
Thomas Nelson
July 6, 2021
Advanced reader e-copy
368
Publisher via NetGalley

High-school sweethearts Mac and Edie Swan lead a seemingly picture-perfect life in the sleepy-sweet community of Oak Hill, near Mobile, Alabama. Edie is a respected interior designer, Mac is a beloved pediatrician, and they have two great kids and a historic home on tree-lined Linden Avenue. From the outside, the Swan family is the definition of “the good life.” And life is good—mostly. Until a young woman walks into Mac’s office one day. A young woman whose very existence threatens all Mac and Edie have built and all they think they know about each other.

Nineteen years after a summer apart, with a family and established lives and careers, the past that Mac and Edie thought they left behind has come back to greet them. For the first time, constants in their lives are called into question: their roles as parents, their reputation as upstanding members of the community, and the very foundations of their marriage. As they wade through the upheaval in both their family and professional lives, they must each examine choices they made long ago and chart a new course for their future.

First let's talk about how inviting this cover is. It just makes you want to open the door (cover) and discover what's inside. I thought this was an enjoyable read. I loved the way we ambled through the day to day lives of the main characters, even after the main plot point comes calling. The story centers mostly around Mac and Edie, but with some cameos from best friend Graham. We flash back and forth between present day and the summer they agreed to spend apart before their senior year of college. I much preferred the current storyline, but understand that the other needed to be written to add context to the main dilemmas the characters face as the story progresses. While I do think we were supposed to like all these protagonists, I had a hard time, particularly with Edie, who I felt was kind of a hypocrite. It's really hard to go into details more than this because of spoilers, but if you read the book I think you will get my point, although I certainly think every reader will have a different take on the characters' choices. The story is pretty predictable, especially the ending, but honestly I was okay with that.

A perfect light read that doesn't require lots of brain power, but is a much needed balm for the soul. The characters and writing are well done, and the family dynamics were refreshingly honest. This is a hard one to review without spoilers, so my thoughts and the synopsis will have to be enough. Oh, and then there is that cover........

Published on Leave a comment on Falling
Falling Book Cover Falling
T. J. Newman
Fiction
Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
July 6, 2021
Advanced reader copy
304
Free from publisher

You just boarded a flight to New York.

There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard.

What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped.

For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die.

The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane.

Enjoy the flight.

With a synopsis like this one has, how could you not want to read it? To make it even better, this is also one of the best first lines of any book I've encountered.....WHEN THE SHOE DROPPED INTO HER LAP THE FOOT WAS STILL IN IT. Granted, this line turns out to not have much to do with the actual plot that ensues, which irked me a bit, but I still think it's a great way to make the reader sit up and take notice! This book was a wild ride from start to finish. Very fast paced, and I would assume pretty factual since the author was a flight attendant. The book flips back and forth in real time between the flight to JFK, and the pilot's kidnapped family in LA. The FBI agent who works on the family angle has a tie to the flight in that his aunt is the main flight attendant. There are some twists and turns in this one that I didn't see coming, one of which is a whopper! Despite the fact that I thought it got a little bit over the top on the LA front at the end, this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! Definitely one of those 'what would you do in that situation' kind of thrillers.

If you love a fast paced read, whether at the beach, pool, or just on your couch, I would recommend this book. What I would probably not recommend is that you read it on a plane!! And a tidbit that is mentioned several times that was shocking to me (and I will think of every time I fly in the future)......did you know that when the oxygen masks come down from the ceiling, they only have enough oxygen to last twelve minutes? I'm not sure that I want that fact in my head, but now I've put it into yours also 🙂

Published on Leave a comment on Home Stretch
Home Stretch Book Cover Home Stretch
Graham Norton
Fiction
HarperVia
June 22, 2021
Hardcover
320
Free from publisher

It is 1987 and a small Irish community is preparing for a wedding. The day before the ceremony, a group of young friends, including the bride and groom, are involved in an accident. Three survive. Three are killed.

The lives of the families are shattered and the rifts between them ripple throughout the small town. Connor survived, but living among the angry and the mourning is almost as hard as carrying the shame of having been the driver. He leaves the only place he knows for another life, taking his secrets with him. Travelling first to Liverpool, then London, he eventually makes a home—of sorts—for himself in New York, where he finds shelter and the possibility of forging a new life.

But the secrets—the unspoken longings and regrets that have come to haunt those left behind—will not be silenced. Before long, Connor will have to confront his past.

A powerful and timely novel of emigration and return, Home Stretch demonstrates Norton’s keen understanding of the power of stigma and secrecy—and their devastating effect on ordinary lives.

I knew nothing about the author (seems he's a BBC celebrity broadcaster), but the synopsis sounded like something I'd be interested in. So when I was offered the chance to review the book for a book tour, I accepted, eager to try a new to me author. I may have to go back and read his two previous novels because I really enjoyed this one! The major premise is the effect a deadly car crash has on a small Irish community. The beginning throws a lot of names at the reader, but don't let that deter you, the major portion of the book concentrates on a brother and sister. The brother (and driver of the car) cannot handle the pressure of being ostracized from those in the town, so he flees to a variety of locations, eventually landing in New York. He doesn't have any communication with his family, so the book delves into what the differences are between having a child die, or having a living child disappear. Connor's sister Ellen stays in town and seems to have the perfect life, but we see inside that life and find all is not as it appears from the outside. The story does go back and forth time, but the years are clearly annotated as chapter headings, so not really an issue and made the story more interesting. I really liked the plot points showing the progressive changing of attitudes toward gay individuals, and the writing and pacing were excellent. Connor's story broke my heart, and I just wanted him to find peace within himself. My only small quibble would be the coincidence of how Connor ends up coming back to his family (what are the chances of two people meeting in NYC?), but if you can allow yourself to just go with the flow, you will be rewarded with lots of excellent twists and turns! The ending was very satisfying.

An excellent portrayal of a community, then a particular family in crisis. I am excited to see what else this author has coming next, and will be checking out his backlist.

Published on Leave a comment on The Sweetness of Water
The Sweetness of Water Book Cover The Sweetness of Water
Nathan Harris
Fiction
Little, Brown and Co.
June 15, 2021
Hardcover
368
Purchased

In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry—freed by the Emancipation Proclamation—seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys.

Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox.

With candor and sympathy, debut novelist Nathan Harris creates an unforgettable cast of characters, depicting Georgia in the violent crucible of Reconstruction. Equal parts beauty and terror, as gripping as it is moving, The Sweetness of Water is an epic whose grandeur locates humanity and love amid the most harrowing circumstances.

This is the latest pick for Oprah's book club. While I was an avid follower of her picks back in the day, I tend to be a bit more selective now since sometimes her choices are a bit too highbrow even for my literary tastes. I chose this one because I've always been interested in slavery stories, and was really hoping I could cleanse myself from the last one I read that I was not a fan of at all (and definitely WAS highbrow writing). This right here was the book that I wish The Prophets had been! There were a couple of different storylines to follow (the recently freed brothers, and the forbidden soldiers love story), but they intersect fairly quickly within the plot. While this book was hopeful in the end, I'm not going to say that this wasn't very sad along the way. The characters were very well written, and the writing was beautiful (not over the top and appearing as if the author was trying too hard to be lyrical). I also loved that the character of Isabelle took control of her world and the situations therein. This tells an excellent story of the Reconstruction time (post Civil War) in the South, when not everyone is on board with freed slaves.

I'm very happy that I picked this book up. It has restored my faith in slavery stories, and Oprah's book club. I wouldn't suggest this as a beach read (unless you like darker toned books for that purpose), but I would highly recommend you pick it up at some point, especially if good character stories from this time period are of interest to you.

Published on Leave a comment on The Guncle
The Guncle Book Cover The Guncle
Steven Rowley
Fiction
G.P. Putnam's Sons
May 25, 2021
Hardcover
336
Purchased

From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor comes a warm and deeply funny novel about a once-famous gay sitcom star whose unexpected family tragedy leaves him with his niece and nephew for the summer.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

With humor and heart, The Guncle is a moving tribute to the power of love, patience, and family in even the most trying of times.

The synopsis for this book looked so good that I grabbed it despite the fact that I was not a fan of this author's first book. Suffice it to say that one had some wacky fantasy/magical realism in it (that I was not aware of going in). I did my best to vet this one, but would not have been surprised this time if some weirdness showed up. To my utter delight, the only weirdness was that the two books were written by the same author, because I freaking LOVED this one! I laughed, I teared up, and just never wanted the fun with GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) to end! I think the synopsis does a pretty good job of explaining this book, so I'm not going to dwell on the particulars, except that Patrick's character was one of the best I've read in a long time! His day to day monologues, and how he dealt with the kids in his care, were at times hysterically funny, and other times poignant and melancholy. His growth as a guardian and at coming to terms with a huge loss in his life were inspiring and heartwarming. The kids were adorable, and there are some side characters that were fun, and added some extra interest to the plot. There are lots of great references to old movies and film stars, and obscure 80's music. The ending was the cherry on top to this marvelous story sundae!

It's early in the summer, but this may well be my favorite book of the season. I just wish I could hang out by the pool with Patrick (we'd have to stay there, since he wouldn't approve of my wearing 3/4 length pants if we went anywhere to eat!). I can't imagine anyone who reads this won't have a smile on their face by the end!

Published on Leave a comment on Golden Girl
Golden Girl Book Cover Golden Girl
Elin Hilderbrand
Fiction
Little, Brown and Company
June 1, 2021
Hardcover
384
Purchased

On a perfect June day, Vivian Howe, author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three nearly grown children, is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home on Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens below for one last summer. Vivi also is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of events on earth, and with her daughter Willa on her third miscarriage, Carson partying until all hours, and Leo currently “off again” with his high-maintenance girlfriend, she’ll have to think carefully where to use them.

From the Beyond, Vivi watches “The Chief” Ed Kapenash investigate her death, but her greatest worry is her final book, which contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous for her reputation. But when hidden truths come to light, Vivi’s family will have to sort out their past and present mistakes—with or without a nudge of help from above—while Vivi finally lets them grow without her.

With all of Elin’s trademark beach scenes, mouth-watering meals, and picture-perfect homes, plus a heartfelt message—the people we lose never really leave us—Golden Girl is a beach book unlike any other.

I love this author's books, especially her summer ones. After reading the synopsis of this one though, I was hesitant to pick it up. Without getting into a lot of religious and spiritual beliefs, suffice it to say that I don't really buy into the premise of this plot. I ended up picking it up thinking at best I would truly enjoy it despite my misgivings, and at worst it would make me appreciate all her other books that I've been a huge fan of. As you can see from my rating, I really enjoyed this book! I just love the way Hilderbrand describes Nantucket in the summer (the beach, the shops, the homes, the food). She also has a way of telling a great family story, with all the dynamics between siblings, parents, and extended family. When you are reading one of her books, you feel as if you are literally there in the world that has been created for you. For these reasons, I was completely captivated by this story. Even though I didn't buy into the Beyond idea, I still loved the character of Martha and the banter between her and main character Vivi. The book also brought to light the issue of race in a predominantly white community, which I greatly appreciated. While most of the story is told in the present time, there are flashbacks to Vivi's life from her high school love, to her marriage and subsequent divorce, and the births of her children. There is book talk about bestseller lists, book tours (my Indie bookstore even gets a mention), and books in general. The concurrent investigation of who was driving the car that killed Vivi was also interspersed throughout until the satisfying conclusion where everything comes to light and everyone looks like they will be okay to navigate a world without Vivi in it.

Surprising myself with my enjoyment of this one. If you love a good family story told in a beach location, with a bit of mystery, and a side of someone watching over you from above, I think this is the book for you. Elin Hilderbrand proves to me that even if I'm not a huge fan of the plot, I'll still be ready to go along for the ride.

Published on Leave a comment on People We Meet On Vacation
People We Meet on Vacation Book Cover People We Meet on Vacation
Emily Henry
Fiction
Berkley
May 11, 2021
Paperback
384
Purchased

Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

I've been sharing some rather heavy reads for the last week or so, it's time to change it up a bit and recommend what I would call a true "beach read". Everyone has a different criteria for what they consider a beach read, but mine is usually something that involves a beachy location, and most often a romance. Summer is the only time that I seem to gravitate to romance reads, so get ready for a few of them over the next few months.

Now just because I tend to read more romance books over the summer, doesn't mean they all work for me (even in the season). I have very high standards for a romance to work, and this one fit the bill perfectly! I loved the characters of Poppy and Alex. For me to enjoy this type of book, the characters have to be skillfully crafted, and I have to become fully invested in them individually before I'm ever going to come close to believing in their romance. The banter between these two was some of the best I've read, it was cute without being cutesy (and there is definitely a difference when it comes to grown adults). I enjoyed the format of how this was written. We have the present day vacation interspersed with the previous vacations starting twelve years back and continuing until the ill fated one two years prior. The present day vacation has its share of pitfalls, but these two navigate it hilariously. While I was rooting for them to work things out, I would have been happy with any ending where they maintained a friendship and kept going on vacation!

One of my first beach read recommendations of the summer season (see also The Newcomers, The Siren and Last Summer at the Golden Hotel, which I reviewed previously and would also make great choices). I loved these two characters and would love to see what they are up to down the road (a sequel would be great!).

Published on Leave a comment on Unsettled Ground
Unsettled Ground Book Cover Unsettled Ground
Claire Fuller
Fiction
Tin House Books
May 18, 2021
Hardcover
327
Purchased

At fifty-one years old, twins Jeanie and Julius still live with their mother, Dot, in rural isolation in the English countryside. The cottage they have shared their entire lives is their only protection against the modernizing world around them. Inside its walls, they make music, and in its garden, they grow everything they need to survive. To an outsider, it looks like poverty; to them, it is home.

But when Dot dies unexpectedly, the world they’ve so carefully created begins to fall apart. The cottage they love, and the security it offered, is taken back by their landlord, exposing the twins to harsh truths and even harsher realities. Seeing a new future, Julius becomes torn between the loyalty he feels towards his sister and his desire for independence, while Jeanie struggles to find work and a home for them both. And just when it seems there might be a way forward, a series of startling secrets from their mother’s past come to the surface, forcing the twins to question who they are, and everything they know of their family’s history.

In Unsettled Ground, award-winning author Claire Fuller masterfully builds a tale of sacrifice and hope, of homelessness and hardship, of love and survival, in which two marginalized and remarkable people uncover long-held family secrets and, in their own way, repair, recover, and begin again.

Another review of a book that is all about the characters, with very little plot. This one is very dark, and extremely sad, while at the same time hopeful and beautiful. The writing in this book immerses you into the story so that you can feel the earth under your fingers and the desolation in your heart. These two characters were so memorable, and so well written, and I don't know if I've ever wanted everything to work out more than I did with this book! Jeanie and Julius were put into situations that I don't know if even I would know how to deal with, and I feel I have a lot more "worldly knowledge" than they did. I spent the entire book waiting for someone to care enough to help them help themselves. There is a twist toward the end that I had already figured out, so that wasn't anything revelatory for me, but may add extra intrigue for some readers. The ending was certainly not happy, but it was hopeful, and with all that happens to the characters, I was grateful settling for that.

A beautifully written, very quiet account of the devastating lives of sheltered twins left to navigate their world after the death of their mother. This book is nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction, and that honor is very well deserved.

Published on Leave a comment on Olympus, Texas
Olympus, Texas Book Cover Olympus, Texas
Stacey Swann
Fiction
Doubleday
May 11, 2021
Hardcover
336
Purchased

A bighearted debut with technicolor characters, plenty of Texas swagger, and a powder keg of a plot in which marriages struggle, rivalries flare, and secrets explode, all with a clever wink toward classical mythology.

The Briscoe family is once again the talk of their small town when March returns to East Texas two years after he was caught having an affair with his brother's wife. His mother, June, hardly welcomes him back with open arms. Her husband's own past affairs have made her tired of being the long-suffering spouse. Is it, perhaps, time for a change? Within days of March's arrival, someone is dead, marriages are upended, and even the strongest of alliances are shattered. In the end, the ties that hold them together might be exactly what drag them all down.

An expansive tour de force, Olympus, Texas cleverly weaves elements of classical mythology into a thoroughly modern family saga, rich in drama and psychological complexity. After all, at some point, don't we all wonder: What good is this destructive force we call love?

At first glance, the words family saga made this a novel I was highly interested in. Then I read the part about the tie in to Greek mythology and took a giant step back. I know nothing about mythology, nor do I care to learn! I decided to give this a try anyway, and honestly forgot about the connection by the time I picked it up to read. All this is to let you know that you don't have to know a thing about Greek mythology to enjoy this book! This was an excellent dysfunctional family story, my personal favorite genre (I always say I'm not sure what that says about me?). I can't even tell you that the characters are even that likable, but the family dynamics are written such that it didn't matter to me. I couldn't put this down until I found out who ended up where, with who, and did any of them forgive each other? While the ending didn't tie everything up with a bow, there were enough answers given that I was satisfied. The writing was well executed, and the story did not drag on as some family sagas are known to do. The family drama was out in full force, and I was there for it!

While this book is certainly not plot heavy, the characters and their family issues propel the story. If you are a fan of Greek mythology, I can only imagine that enhancing the characters even more, although I can't say this with any certainty. I just loved it for the family dynamics and characters, who will stay with me for a long while.

Published on Leave a comment on Last Summer at the Golden Hotel
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel Book Cover Last Summer at the Golden Hotel
Elyssa Friedland
Fiction
Berkley
May 18, 2021
Hardcover
384
Purchased (Book of the Month edition)

In its heyday, The Golden Hotel was the crown jewel of the hotter-than-hot Catskills vacation scene. For more than sixty years, the Goldman and Weingold families - best friends and business partners - have presided over this glamorous resort which served as a second home for well-heeled guests and celebrities. But the Catskills are not what they used to be - and neither is the relationship between the Goldmans and the Weingolds. As the facilities and management begin to fall apart, a tempting offer to sell forces the two families together again to make a heart-wrenching decision. Can they save their beloved Golden or is it too late?

Long-buried secrets emerge, new dramas and financial scandal erupt, and everyone from the traditional grandparents to the millennial grandchildren wants a say in the hotel's future. Business and pleasure clash in this fast-paced, hilarious, nostalgia-filled story, where the hotel owners rediscover the magic of a bygone era of nonstop fun even as they grapple with what may be their last resort.

What a great story! If you've been with me here for awhile, you know how much I adore family sagas. This one was the intermingling of three generations of not just one family, but two! And yes, that means there are a lot of people to keep track of, but the author does include a handy family tree of both the Goldman and Weingold families at the front of the book. Trust me though, you will be caught up in the story quickly, and won't need it after the beginning pages. Each character has their own distinct personality, and it's very easy to tell them apart as the story progresses. My absolute favorite part about this book was the interactions between the generations. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion when the elderly hotel owners and their children had to be schooled by the youngsters. At the heart of the story is how, or if, the Golden hotel can be saved and attract clients like it did in its heyday back in the 1960's. Back in those days people would flock to the Catskills from the sweltering cities for some fun, food, and relaxation. Not much has changed at the hotel since then, and the grandchildren have the pulse on what needs to be done to bring back the glory. But is it too much of an undertaking, and at what cost? The families come back to the hotel to decide its fate, and the fun begins. Of course, as there is with any family saga, there are secrets to be exposed, and liaisons to be made. The whole thing gets wrapped up in a big bow at the end, and I was there for it!

Another great summer read, this one is for the nostalgia buffs who remember the grand hotels of summer, or for anyone who enjoys a fun multi generational tale.