The synopsis of this book caught my attention and I looked forward to a fun read. There are quirky characters but that was about all that appealed to me. The dialogue … of which there was A LOT!!! … was off-putting. I know the author was attempting to be funny and serious at the same time. But unfortunately, it fell flat for me. There are several positive reviews, so I would recommend you see if it appeals to you. Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advanced revi

I have read and loved all of the books in the Cambridge Bookshop series. The book is full of wonderful characters ... some who have been around since the first book and a few new ones who become part of the story in this fifth book. Molly is a delight and I have loved watching how her relationship with Kieran has grown and how his family has accepted her. There are lots of twists and turns and lots of suspects in the murder mystery. The author does a great job of keeping you

This book has stayed with me long after I have absorbed the last word and close the book with a satisfying sigh. I could not wait to pass it along to the person who picks books for our book club. It will be one with lots to talk about. How often would we choose to go back and relive a moment in our life to change the outcome? This is an emotional read that has you journey through family, love, loss, regrets, life-altering decisions, failures, and second chances. As Mitch Albo

It has been a while since I had read the first book in The Forgotten Bookshop in Paris series. Luckily the author provides enough detail at the beginning of this book that it refreshed my memory. I enjoy reading historical fiction books, and especially when they take place during WWII. This one took place in a different area of France and you are able to enjoy a present day experience with Juliette and her efforts to discover information about her grandmother WWII. There are

I have loved the books in the Bakeshop series by Ellie Alexander. This particular book was a special treat because you got to enjoy a trip to Costa Rica. The characters are originally developed and it was delightful. Spending time with just Jules, her husband, Carlos, and the bakeshop’s, barista, Andy. There are a few glimpses of the rest of the gang from Ashland, so you remember the sense of community. But you also need some new characters and will quickly form opinions abou

I am really enjoying the books in the Novel Detectives series by Ellie Alexander. I love how the series has flowed easily from the Secret Bookcase series with many of the same characters but a new purpose. Great characters and a cozy setting make this an exciting time in the pages. The murder mystery clues that are sprinkled throughout the pages will have you invested in the story and anxious to see how the case is solved. Lots of secrets are discovered as you navigate the pa

I enjoy reading historical fiction books, and I am trying to brunch out to new time periods. Unfortunately, this was not a good one to attempt that. Not sure how I feel about the liberties the author took to rewrite Evelyn Nesbit's history. But Allison Pataki does an admiral Raul job presenting what life was like for women during Gilded Age. The characters are well developed, though you will not particularly like all of them. This is a glimpse into the dark façade of the life

I have come to love historical fiction books that take place in England. And spending time post WWII was a new frame of reference for me. Ginevra (Gin) Bishop and Sidney Braithwaite wore a wonderful combination for teammates. The mystery and intrigued pulled me into the story. And Gin and Sidney’s very different approaches to espionage kept me entertained. Lots of clues are sprinkled throughout the pages which held my attention and had me anxious to see what danger lurked aro

I enjoy reading historical fiction books. This one was a little different than my typical read in that genre. While presented as adult fiction, I feel like this was more a young adult novel. The story itself was adequate and I was not pulled into the lives of the characters as I had hoped. Though the subject matter was emotional to read about, I appreciated the care with which this was shared by the author. I have to say that the ending was a big disappointment. Oh well. Ther

This was a great first book in the new Meg Reed series by Ellie Alexander. There are great characters introduced ... some of which you know will appear in future books. Though I am in no way an outdoor adventure person, I appreciated the activities featured in this book. There is a murder mystery, relationship conflict, family issues, support of friends, and new job insecurities. I really did not know who was guilty of murder until the final reveal! So this book was a hike on

This was the first book I have read by the author, Freida McFadden. After a friend raved about her books, I was excited at the opportunity to read this one. It had so much potential. And I really did stay with it to the end ... though there were so many times I wanted to set it aside. The characters did not pull me into the story and make me care about their lives. In fact, I don’t think I liked a single one! Things were not as they appeared to be and there were definitely a

I enjoy reading mystery thrillers. However, this one did not appeal to me. There were too many characters and I just did not care about any of them. I was not pulled into the story and the multiple POVs and timelines were overwhelming. All I can say is that as I read the last word, I closed the book and rolled my eyes. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. For more reviews, please visit my blog at:.

This is one of the best books I have read this year. I loved the characters, the settings (Europe, the Titanic, and America), and the story. I did not want to put it down. The only thing that I think could have made it better was if it was an audiobook and hearing the accents for the people from different countries and especially Teddy’s sweet voice. The first part of the book provides great background into Elinor’s life ... which is important for later on. And while part of

I love reading historical fiction books and really enjoyed learning about the Harvey Girls. The characters are well developed and I loved getting to know Billie and Charlotte. I had never heard of the waitresses who served at America’s first hospitality chain along the Santa Fe railroad. The adventures you get to experience as the girls are trained to the people they meet along the way to the various locations they work ... you will be drawn into the story and learn to much a

I am not sure I knew what to expect when I opened this book and got lost in the pages. I have enjoyed previous books by the author and was excited for the opportunity for a rollercoaster ride of suspense. Reading a Julie Clark book is like working a puzzle. There is the basis of a dysfunctional family, the history of trauma and tragedy, a current health crisis, and the untangling of clues. You will be absorbing every word, every emotion, every glimpse into the lives of Olivia

After reading the synopsis for this book and having enjoyed previous books by Sarah Pekkanen, I really looked forward to reading it. From my experience of working in a university Psychology Department of 38½ years, I was exposed to a variety of research projects. I basically cringed while reading this book. I know there are plenty of unethical researchers so I had to just accept that, while I did not like the methods used, it was the basis for the story. However, I just did n

Once again Jonathan Kellerman has pulled me into the story from the beginning and held me captive until the end. Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis are the perfect murder mystery solving team. I love how their thoughts are shared in working the clues ... putting the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the crime. The psychological viewpoint provided by Alex is a trip into the dark recesses of the human psyche. One of my favorite series to read and I look forward to whatever dep

I have really enjoyed reading the books in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series. What an amazing woman. Cussy Mary Lovett was such a strong, dedicated, and caring person. It was so difficult to endure the prejudices against her because she was “Blue.” But, once again, books bring healing and connections. Cussy approaches life with grace and hope. The people whose lives she touches through books will encourage you. An emotional journey through the pages with racism, eug

When I first started listening to this book, I just wanted to roll my eyes. But as I got further into the book, I began to love the characters ... their past issues, their idiosyncrasies, their journeys. Watching Claire develop and mature was entertaining. She was such a nice person and it was heartwarming to see people support her and encourage her to achieve her wildest dreams. Miles was an amazing man. He had so many positive qualities. This is a delightful story of second

Ugh! I really dislike writing negative book reviews. But this book was far from a spectacular thing. While a look into family dynamics, I am so glad that even with the less than perfect family I grew up in, it put Liz and Mia’s to shame. I did not care for the characters and I struggled to make myself keep reading to get to the end. There are several positive reviews. So I would encourage you to see if this appeals to you. Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback