May Read: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal

 

I can't properly explain my fascination with supper clubs, especially Midwest supper clubs. I recently told my partner I'd love to drive to Wisconsin and Minnesota just to eat at a few classic supper clubs. Woodsy decor, a menu that hasn't changed in years, and a classic cocktail. Sounds perfect to me. 

I grabbed this novel by J. Ryan Stradal and devoured it over the weekend. His first novel Kitchens of the Great Midwest gave me a taste of his writing, so I had an idea of what to expect. I wasn't disappointed. 

Mariel Prager is the third generation of a supper club owning family. Located near Bear Jaw Lake Minnesota, the Lakeside Supper Club was a popular destination for families all year round. Her grandparents have kept it going through hard work and dedication, and now Mariel is going to inherit the supper club. Her mother Florence hates the supper club and wants nothing to do with it. 

Mariel falls in love with Ned, who is the heir to his family's chain of restaurants. Ned's got the dream of making customers happy, but not the drive or desire to run a chain of restaurants and build the business.  Both are at a crossroads in their lives. 

This novel moves back and forth between Florence's younger years (the 1930's) up through Mariel's early years and marriage to Ned in the 1980's. It finishes in present day, but I'm not going to tell you with who!

Lakeside is about generational guilt, expectations, and breaking free of past hurts. Florence is one heck of a character--you see her from early childhood to an elderly woman, and she's by far the most compelling character in the novel. You can't help but love Florence, even when she's at her worst. Mariel is the heart of the novel, with her dedication to the supper club and her love of tradition and Ned. Ned is someone on a journey to realize his own worth, and to become the man he wants to be, not the man he is expected to be. There's tragedy, comedy, and that perfect vibe of the wilds of Minnesota captured perfectly.

This novel took me back to childhood memories of traveling to Minnesota and Wisconsin for summer vacations. I loved those vacations, even if they were full of chaos. We never did visit supper clubs, but spent time boating, fishing, swimming, and staying in cabins. Perfect vacation for kiddos. 

Rating: 4/6 for a family saga that unfolds through the years. Decisions made ripple through each generation, but the supper club stands as a beacon for all. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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May Read: Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal

January Read: The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

 

I bought this book when it first came out in September 2022 and off it went into my stack of TBR titles. I pulled it out a few days ago and just spent my Saturday reading it. It's a gloomy day, so it was perfect to read with a pot of coffee and a comfy blanket.  

I love the cover; it definitely grabbed my attention. I'm a sucker for a feel-good novel about a bit of magic and when it's combined with people finding love, I couldn't resist. 

This novel is told in two time periods: the early 1900's and 1994. I was thrown for a loop reading about the 1990's as if it were decades ago until it sank in that IT WAS DECADES AGO. Had a moment of feeling old!

Sara Glickman is traveling to America in 1910 with her family to start a new life in New York City. She makes a romantic match between her older sister and a man on the ship, and even at ten years old, Sara's gift is apparent. She can see true love matches/soulmates. It ruffles the feathers of the shadchanteh, the Jewish matchmakers that broker deals between families. She's young, female, and unmarried. She's also taking money away from this group of men. The difference is that Sara matches soulmates, and the matchmakers match purely on "suitability" and money. Sara has to keep her matchmaking quiet through her teen years, so her family doesn't get into trouble. One match, between the Pickle King's daughter and a dentist, changes Sara's life, as well as her family's fortunes. But it causes some trouble, too. 

Forward to 1994, and Sara has sadly just passed away peacefully at the age of 95. Her granddaughter Abby is a young divorce lawyer in New York City, and she's devastated at her beloved grandmother's passing. She inherits Sara's journals, and begins reading through them. What she finds are the notes Sara made on each of her matches over the years, and Abby begins to believe, finally, that her grandmother was telling the truth all those years about her matchmaking skills. 

Abby and Sara's stories move back and forth, with the journals the bridge between what Abby reads and the real story from Sara's perspective. Abby may have inherited her grandmother's gift, and it may be causing some problems at Abby's job...

I found this to be a quick read, and so very interesting. I had no idea the job of matchmaking was taken so seriously by the Jewish community and culture. It's fascinating. The clash of old world traditions and fitting into the new world are illustrated throughout Sara's story, and the ties between her matches in the early 20th century and Abby's 1994 world are pretty interesting and make the whole story come full circle. 

Anyone who enjoys fiction with a bit of romance (but not necessarily a romance novel), and the history of matchmaking in New York City will enjoy this novel. It was lighthearted, interesting, and full of likable characters. I especially enjoyed Sara's character--full of spunk and smart as a whip. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel about finding your right person; knowing the path of happiness isn't always smooth, but worth all the trouble in the end. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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January Read: The Matchmaker's Gift by Lynda Cohen Loigman

January Read: Shutter by Ramona Emerson

 

Dipping into my TBR pile and this one I've had since last summer. I grabbed it Friday on my way to spend the weekend with my boyfriend and I'm happy to say I made a great choice in reading material. It grabbed me and I couldn't put it down. 

Shutter is a mix of mystery, police procedure, and a bit of paranormal thriller. Rita Todacheene is a forensic photographer for the Albuquerque police department. Her Navajo background is at odds with her ability to see and talk to the ghosts she sees everywhere. Especially ghosts of the bodies she photographs at crime scenes, car accidents, and pretty much everywhere. 

Rita is called to a pretty gruesome scene: a woman has supposedly jumped off an overpass into highway traffic and she's got to take all the scene photos. I'll tell you this is the first bit of the book, and it is really gruesome, so if you have issues, this may not be for you. 

Erma, the victim, quickly makes her presence known to Rita. Rita tries to ignore Erma, but Erma is determined to stay loud and in Rita's face until she figures out what happened. No way Erma killed herself. 

Rita's story weaves between the present and her struggles to take photos on scene and ignore the ghosts, and her past, growing up with her Grandma on the Navajo reservation. Rita's ability to see ghosts is not a good thing, according to Navajo culture. Many call her a witch, and evil. Her grandmother tries to protect her, and Rita works hard at hiding her talents from the people she loves most. 

Now Rita's job is on the line, as her ghostly companion won't let her sleep or rest until her case is solved. As Rita digs deeper into Erma's case, she finds a whole lot of corruption and drug cartel business--stuff that could get Rita killed. 

Ooh, this was a good story. First of all, I love New Mexico, so that was a big draw for me. This side of New Mexico, and Albuquerque in particular, is not the pretty side. Rita's Grandmother has a safe home that sounds absolutely lovely, even as poor as she is--it's filled with love and protection. The ghosts that Rita encounter aren't  the cheery, happy go lucky folks who have gone to the light and return to say hi. These are ghosts of people who have died violently, or just alone. Anyone who isn't at peace. Rita doesn't know how to shut off access, and once these ghosts figure out Rita can see and hear them, they are drawn to her and demand she help them. 

That was my only frustration with Rita-she never worked on trying to contain her gift and preserve herself by protecting herself from all the ghosts. Her "light" was always on. And unfortunately for Rita, her Navajo culture and just everyday people wouldn't allow her to be truthful and open about her ability. 

The bad guys are pretty obvious so there's no surprises in the plot. But I did enjoy this novel very much, and I hope there's more in store for Rita. If this was a series, I'd definitely read more. 

Rating: 5/6 for a different kind of police procedure novel. A mix of Navajo culture, paranormal thrills, and the art of photography, this was a unique novel that kept my interest. I'm hopeful there are more stories with Rita in the future. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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January Read: Shutter by Ramona Emerson

The Maid by Nita Prose

 

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 This delightful mystery has been getting all the buzz lately, and I couldn't wait to read it. 

Molly Gray is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, and she takes her job very, very seriously. She will not leave a hotel room less than perfect for a hotel guest. Her tag line: "I am here to restore your room to a state of perfection". 

Molly is a character that is certainly memorable. She has trouble reading social cues and takes everything people say literally. She's painfully honest, too. Sadly, she's a loner amongst the hotel employees, and of course they make fun of her. Yet she is the sweetest, most honest person around. 

One day, Molly returns to the hotel suite of the Blacks, a rich couple who frequent the hotel. Molly doesn't care for Mr. Black, as he's rude, crude, and treats his young second wife badly. He's been known to be mean to hotel staff, too. Molly had already been in the suite once that morning, but had to leave before she could finish cleaning the bathroom. Upon returning, she notices the suite she left in tip-top shape (except for the bathroom) is now messy again. Moving into the bedroom, she discovers Mr. Black, dead on the bed. 

Oh dear. 

Molly quickly becomes the center of the murder investigation-mostly because police can't understand how or why she can remain calm, cool, and emotionally detached as they question her. Well, Molly is a bit different, and unfortunately, the police just don't understand her at all. 

Molly gets herself into a pickle, mostly because she just can't read people very well, and mistakes attention for caring when it's not. As Molly finds herself getting deeper into the muck of the murder, will she be able to save herself from going to jail?

Molly will tug at your heart, for sure. She's lonely, has only the best intentions, and is struggling to make ends meet. You will certainly cheer her on, worry about her, and want to make her a cup of tea. The murder definitely takes some twists and turns, too. 

Rating: 5/6 for an entertaining mystery centered around a maid who falls under suspicion after discovering a dead body at a hotel. This novel takes a few surprise turns, all the way to the end. I loved it. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Maid by Nita Prose

Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb

 

I picked this up at B&N on a whim and added it to my TBR stack and forgot about it (as I usually do!) until I was compiling my list for September reads and decided to add it in as a switch from my   otherwise heavy on the magic and literary theme choices. I'm glad I did, because this was perfectly enjoyable. Yes, it's on the eve of World War 2 (1937); the Nazis are rising and unease is building, but I don't think I've ever read a novel that includes the Hindenburg in it! 

This is a novel about two sisters: Clara and Madeleine Sommers. They are from a wealthy East Coast family. Their grandmother, Violet, has terminal cancer and has requested the two women travel to Europe to deliver letters to three people that meant something to Violet. All expenses paid, and they get to travel on the Queen Mary, the Orient Express, and return home on the Hindenburg-the latest in fast, luxurious travel between Europe and the U.S. 

The sisters don't get along--Clara is engaged to a wealthy businessman who treats her like a possession, and Madeleine is a journalist searching for her big break. Nellie Bly was a good friend of Violet, and her spirit is infused in this novel. Both ladies called her Auntie Nellie and remember her fondly. In fact Madeleine was inspired to become a journalist because of her. Clara loves art and is quite talented, but has had to set her talents aside as she prepares to marry Charles. She's not in love, but knows the marriage is what's expected of her. 

The two sisters set off on the Queen Mary--and yes, one is messy and wears trousers; the other is neat as a pin and dresses to the nines. One plays by society's rules, and the other drinks whiskey and gambles with men. They rub each other the wrong way and have many clashes. I was actually beginning to think they would never resolve their differences! 

However, as the sisters arrive in Paris to deliver the first letter, family history starts to pull them together. Madeleine feels the sense of unease that has settled over Europe and is eager to write about it. Clara is worried they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. But they promised Violet they would deliver the letters, and so after Paris, they travel to Venice, and then onto Austria. Along the way they discover more family secrets, find moments of sisterhood (followed by arguments, of course!), and start to realize the trip is also about discovering themselves and what they want out of life. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I thought it was well written; the sisters were enough alike and enough different to make their relationship interesting and believable. Their love interests were there to provide some relief from what otherwise would have been too much sister time. The travel sounded marvelous--the clothes and food, divine. 

This kind of novel always reminds me of people digging around their family trees and discovering their ancestors were not perfect, play by the rules people. Clara and Madeleine certainly discover things about their family that would have stayed secret if not for this trip. Discovering those secrets helped them be brave and reach for the lives they truly wanted. 

Fans of World War 2 fiction, or fiction set in the late 1930's are sure to enjoy this novel. Relationships are a central theme, as well as forgiveness and living a life of happiness--even if it means a bit of scandal comes your way. Anyone who likes to read about women traveling and especially Nellie Bly would also enjoy this novel. 

Rating: 4/6 for an entertaining novel about sisters, the golden age of travel, relationships, love, and last wishes. An elegant read. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb

A Cup of Silver Linings (Dove Pond #2) by Karen Hawkins

 

You know how you wait and wait for something, then it finally arrives, and instead of jumping on it and being happy it's finally here, you dink around and put it off for a bit? That's exactly what I did with this novel, the sequel to 2019's The Book Charmer (you can read my review here).  

I just can't get enough of novels that involve magic. Add in a small town and a family of sisters, and that's pretty much an irresistible trio for me. 

Even though I couldn't wait to read this, I started it earlier this month and didn't get far before I got distracted--and thought oh no! I'm not going to enjoy this. That lead me to setting it aside and reading a few other books. This past week I picked it up again and decided I was going to dive in and finish it before I read anything else. So I did, and it didn't take long before I got over my stuck-ness and bam! I was back in Dove Pond with the Dove sisters and right in the thick of things. 

This, the second in the series, focuses on Ava Dove. She's opening a new tea room and working hard to get it ready. Helping her is teen Kristen, who has just lost her mother Julie to cancer. Ellen Foster, Kristen's grandmother, has arrived and has told Kristen she's selling the house and Kristen will move back to Raleigh with her. Kristen, still deeply grieving her mother, is determined to never leave Dove Pond, nor the house she grew up in and holds so many memories of her mother. Ellen, estranged from Julie and Kristen for years, struggles to grieve and understand her granddaughter. It's a rocky road for the two of them. 

Ava, meanwhile, is having some issues because of a secret she's kept for years and years. That secret is in a box under her bed, wrapped in ribbon and bound tightly with some Dove magic. However, that box has been thumping, pounding, moving around, and causing Ava horrible headaches and sleepless nights. That secret wants to come out. Will Ava have the courage to spill her secret before something horrible happens? And what's going on with the special teas Ava creates for folks who have ailments (both physical and those of the heart)? Three people have returned teas saying they didn't work correctly and had some disastrous results. What could have gone wrong? Ava's reputation is on the line. 

Once I got past my reading block, I inhaled this novel. It took me a bit to familiarize myself again with the Dove sisters and the town. It wasn't hard, and you could read this without reading the first in the series. There are hints of potential romance, and a big change for Sarah and her painful reaction to the town sheriff. 

Themes in this novel involve grief, cancer, death, betrayal, secrets, looking for a biological parent, forgiveness, and friendship. It's a gentle read, and I loved it so much! It was wonderful to return to Dove Pond. I hope I can be patient and wait for the third in the series. There's quite a bit left to discover about the Dove sisters (there are 7 of them!) and the town of Dove Pond, North Carolina. 

Rating: 4/6 for a delightful sequel to The Book Charmer. Characters from the first novel appear, but new characters take center stage--and we find out a big secret that could change everything for Sarah Dove. 

Available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook.

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A Cup of Silver Linings (Dove Pond #2) by Karen Hawkins

Two Novels by Pamela Kelley: The Restaurant and Christmas at the Restaurant

 In my quest to read holiday novels, I picked up Christmas at the Restaurant at my library a week ago. As I started to read it, I realized I had The Restaurant sitting on my bookcase. I had picked it up a few months ago and never got around to reading it. So...I had to read it first before I read the follow up Christmas novel. You're getting two reviews in one post today, Christmas Eve. 

This was a quick read, and I'd recommend Pamela Kelley's novels to anyone who likes a gentle read with likable characters and a uncomplicated plot. That is not to say this was a dull book at all! As a matter of fact, it felt like a good visit with friends I hadn't seen in awhile. Three sisters: Emma, Mandy, and Jill, all have busy lives. Mandy lives in Nantucket with her husband and kids; Jill leads a busy life in corporate Manhattan, and Emma lives in Arizona with her professor husband. Their beloved  grandmother passes away, and leaves them a surprise: they, along with Chef Paul, are owners of Mimi's Place; a local restaurant. Mimi's has been in operation on Nantucket for decades, and is a favorite place for their family to enjoy special occasions. Unbeknownst to the sisters, their grandmother secretly owned it. 

Now, the sisters must work at the restaurant for a year. After a year, they can decide to keep it, or sell it. Paul, the chef, was a favorite of their grandmother, and he is a talented chef. He's also the high school sweetheart of Emma.

All of the sisters are going through some changes: Emma's husband has left her for another man; Mandy's husband has come clean about extramarital affairs; Jill is secretly in love with her business partner, long time friend Billy. Mimi's is their chance to take a breather, concentrate on something other than their personal lives, and give themselves some time together-time they have been lacking lately. 

There's food and wine galore in this novel, and it all sounds delicious. The plot moves along pretty quickly, and there aren't any huge surprise moments. Just a year in the life of three sisters and the restaurant they now own. I say this is a gentle read because there isn't any violence or sex scenes. At most there's some chaste kissing. And I was fine with that. 

Now, onto Christmas at the Restaurant.

This novel takes place a year after The Restaurant. It's Christmas time in Nantucket, and there are activities and traditions galore. Jill and Billy return to spend the month of December in Nantucket, working remotely and spending time at Mimi's helping out each week. Mimi's has had a resurgence of popularity, thanks to some changes the sisters and Paul made, and it's always busy with regulars and tourists. 

Mandy's divorce is going through, and she's found a new calling organizing events at Mimi's. Emma and Paul are going strong; together they keep Mimi's running smoothly. Mandy has a chance at a new romance with Matt, a local fisherman; she's happy to date, but isn't sure about jumping into a relationship. 

There's Gina, the bartender, who is fairly new to Nantucket, but loves working at Mimi's and is settling into her job and community. She's ready for romance, but what's a lady to do when two men, both very different, ask her out on dates? 

This was a really fast read; I started it last night and finished it early this morning (just couldn't stay awake last night!). Even though I immediately picked it up after finishing The Restaurant, I was happy to continue reading about Emma, Jill, and Mandy. Nantucket sounds like a pretty wonderful place to visit. More delicious food and plenty of wine in this novel, too. 

Ratings: 3/6 for each novel. I enjoyed both novels, getting to know Nantucket, and the simple enjoyment of people living their lives and finding happiness in everyday moments. I felt the characters could be developed a bit more, but overall, I will keep reading this series. 

Available in paperback and e-book.

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Two Novels by Pamela Kelley: The Restaurant and Christmas at the Restaurant

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

 Food. France. Chateau. Yes please. You know I love my foodie novels, and practically every page of this novel screams food. The kind of novel I absolutely love, and race through as quickly as possible. It wasn't hard to do just that with Samantha Verant's delicious novel. I feel very lucky to have hit two novels in a row that I couldn't put down--this one and my previous read, The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline. Two completely different novels, but loved them both. 

Sophie Valroux is a rising chef in New York City. She's working for a restaurant that has two Michelin stars and they are eagerly awaiting the announcement that they have been awarded a third star. It's her dream to be part of the team at such a prestigious restaurant. She's worked hard to get where she's at; in a field dominated by men, she's put up with a lot to stay and fight for her place. Her ex-lover Eric is a total asshat, and working together is rough. He is going to open his own restaurant and wants Sophie to work for him. She isn't interested, so Eric conspires with another coworker to sabotage Sophie's career so she'll have no choice but to accept a job at his restaurant. Her dreams come crashing down; she's a disgrace in the New York food world, and her name is trash. 

After wallowing in depression for some time, wondering if she's lost her cooking mojo, Sophie decides to reach out to her Grandmere, who lives in France. Sophie used to visit her Grandmere every summer and learned to cook from her-also an amazing chef. But Sophie's mother kept them apart, and it's been years since Sophie has visited her Grandmere. 

Grandmere's health is precarious, and Sophie flies to France to visit her Grandmere and try to make amends. What she finds is shocking: not only has her Grandmere created an outstanding business at the family chateau, but her Grandmere is a top French chef with a sterling reputation. Sophie, still reeling from her character assassination in New York City, is afraid she'll never be able to cook again. Her Grandmere, however, knows better and gets Sophie cooking and planning menus for the chateau's restaurant. The descriptions of the food are so delicious I was licking my lips. Verant does an amazing job of building a picture of the chateau, the grounds, the food--so much so that it's easy to imagine yourself there, ready to enjoy a meal. Sophie's childhood friend Remi is still here-handsome as all get out, and hostile to Sophie. There are other characters that surround Sophie, and you get to know them and their quirks along with Sophie. 

The big question is: will Sophie remain at the family chateau, or will she return to New York City to redeem her reputation? Will she keep pursuing her dream of Michelin stars, or realize family, home, and the opportunities at the chateau are the key to happiness? 

There is a lot of back story involving Sophie's mother, who died by suicide when Sophie was eighteen. The relationship between Sophie and her grandmother suffered because of her mother, and a lot of work goes into repairing that relationship before it's too late. There's a lot of emphasis on family recipes, handing down traditions, honoring the past, and seeing community as family that requires nurturing and care. Looking at dreams and examining if they are still what you want, or is it time to create a new dream?

Loved this book. Sometimes I wanted to shake Sophie out of her doldrums, and her relationship with Remi is a slow burner. But otherwise, I so enjoyed this foodie novel. I haven't read one in awhile, and whenever I do return to this genre, I realize how much of an armchair chef I am and I don't mind a bit. There are discussion questions and recipes in the back of the book, if you're brave enough to try out some of Sophie's delicious recipes. 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that truly took me away to France. The food, the setting, the characters are all charming and definitely made this one I had trouble putting down. Pour a glass of wine, make up a bread and cheese plate, and let it take you away, too. 

Available in paperback, audio and ebook. 

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The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux

Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

I was pretty excited to read one of my favorite genres of books: magical realism, with a dash of foodie thrown into the mix. This delightful novel didn't disappoint and I loved everything about it. 

Natalie returns to her mother's apartment in San Francisco's Chinatown after learning her mother has died. Guilt-ridden at leaving home in anger years before, she's grieving over her lost relationship with her agoraphobic mother and isn't sure what her next move will be. A failure at cooking school, her desire is to open a restaurant just like her grandmother, Qiao. Her grandmother's restaurant was a pillar of the community, and when she died, Natalie's mother refused to keep the restaurant going. Over the years, a part of the Chinatown community started to die off, and now a greedy real estate agent wants to buy out the remaining families and turn it into a new hipster community. 

Natalie learns that she has inherited the apartment and restaurant below; her task: to reopen the restaurant using her Qiao's recipe book. But before she can do that, she has to cook for three members of the community in order for the restaurant to be successful and in doing that, revitalize the people and businesses around her. Not a small task! If she fails, the neighborhood is doomed. 

Qiao's recipes aren't just recipes, of course. They all mean something, whether it's giving courage, opening up hearts, or helping someone find their luck. After carefully visiting folks around the community, she creates her three recipes and invites them each for a meal. But what seems easy isn't so easy, and disaster soon strikes. 

How can Natalie save her dream of reopening the restaurant, make peace with the neighbors, and understand why her mother left Natalie's father a big secret?It seems like a lot, but it all comes together nicely--even a potential romance with Daniel. What I really enjoyed, besides the recipes, was the glimpse into Chinese culture. Natalie is throughly American, but she honors the traditions of her family and culture by respecting her elders, being humble, and seeing the signs all around her that most of us would usually ignore. Those traditions and Chinese mythology made what could have been just a regular ho-hum contemporary story into a very enjoyable, thoroughly charming, novel. I can't wait to read more from Roselle Lim. 

Rating: 5/6 for novel with a dash of magic, mythology, romance, food, and tradition. A young woman struggles to understand and make peace with her mother's passing, and in doing so, discovers more about herself than she could have ever imagined. It's all about dreams, love, hope, and determination.

Available in paperback, audio, and ebook.

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Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune by Roselle Lim

The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell

I always enjoy a good historical novel in the summertime, and this paperback arrived on my doorstep last month from HarperCollins, as if by magic. Actually the U.S. Post Office, but it felt like magic. If I had come across this at a bookstore, or saw it in a magazine, i would have immediately picked it up or read reviews online--the cover grabbed me pretty quickly. Give me covers with gardens, flowers, food, wine...well, I'm a sucker for them. 

The cover drew me in, but the story itself kept me in that "Peacock Summer". Two women-Lillian and Maggie-grandmother and granddaughter tell two stories that are 50 years apart, but ultimately twist together. Lillian is frail and ill, living in the slowly crumbling former glorious estate named Cloudesley, in the English countryside. Maggie, having left Cloudesley the year before after an unhappy relationship, is forced to return to take care of Lillian. When she arrives, she realizes Cloudesley is in danger of falling apart. Overdue bills, unkempt gardens, and a lot of repairs are needed-but there is no money, and only a skeleton staff to run the place.  

Lillian married Charles Oberon as a young woman, hoping for a loving marriage and happy to take on the task of raising Charles' young son Albie. Charles was charismatic, and the proud owner of Cloudesley. What Lillian realized very quickly was that Charles was a deeply troubled man with a horrible temper and a desire to own and possess beautiful things, but not love them. Trapped in an unhappy marriage, unable to have children after a miscarriage, Lillian is pretty miserable. It's 1955, and she has no family to fall back on; besides, Albie needs her. Enter Jack Finch, an artist attending one of Charles' summer parties. He's handsome, smart, and a gifted artist. Charles hires him to turn the now empty nursery into a fantastic work of art--at once creating a spectacular, one of a kind room, and also to punish Lillian for being barren. As I said, Charles is one mean and cruel man. 

Lillian's memories of that summer make up a large part of the novel. Her growing feelings for Jack, her desire to break free from Charles, her love for Albie. You also see Maggie, in present day, getting bits and pieces of information from Lillian as she grows increasingly more frail. Enough information for Maggie to begin to suspect that what she saw as devotion between Lillian and Charles as a child was not quite the truth of the matter. 

Meanwhile, Maggie is coping with her own troubled relationship, and the scandal she created when she left suddenly the year before. She's a bit of a mess, but thankfully her relationship with her grandmother is her saving grace. 

This novel is all about love, and the many ways we love people, and how sometimes loving someone means giving up something else that you love, too. It's a novel about choice, breaking free from expectations, and the difference between love and duty. It's a family drama that starts in 1955, and ends fifty years later. That summer of 1955 was a life changer for Lillian, and what comes from that summer is what may ultimately save Cloudesley. 

It took me a few pages to get into this novel, but then it all clicked, I hit fifth gear, and I couldn't put it down. You know Lillian and Charles stay together, but knowing the marriage is deeply unhappy, how the heck does that actually happen? What happens with Lillian and Jack? And there's Maggie. Will she get it together, and figure out what life she wants to lead? I'll confess, Lillian's story is so much more interesting than Maggie's, but it is satisfying to see how Maggie matures through her trials. I was so happy when she finally pieced everything together, and figured out her grandmother's story. 

This is a solid story, and I liked that it didn't necessarily have a fairy-tale ending for either Lillian or Maggie. The ending felt appropriate, and I wasn't disappointed in the end--I was hopeful for Maggie, for Cloudesley, and for Lillian's legacy. 

A big thank you to HarperCollins for a copy of this novel to read and review. It's just recently been released in the U.S., and is available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

Rating:  4/6 for an historical novel about family, duty, art, love, choices, and one  summer in the English countryside that reverberates though two generations of a troubled family. 

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The Peacock Summer by Hannah Richell

99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

I wanted to read a contemporary, fun romance in between my historical fiction reads this month. I picked this up at B&N and thought it looked like fun, but after starting enthusiastically, I had some struggles with all 100 percent of it. 

The plot: twins Darcy and Jamie Barrett have inherited their grandmother's cottage with directions to have it fixed up and sold, splitting the profits between them. Jamie isn't talking to Darcy because she turned down a developer and his boatload of cash, and now Tom, their childhood friend is the contractor Jamie has hired to give the cottage a facelift. 

Tom is the only man Darcy has ever loved. And I mean LOVED. She's been in love with him since they were kids, but never felt she could do anything about it because Jamie claimed him as his best friend. And Tom has been dating (and is now engaged) to a stunner of a women. To cope with her feelings, Darcy has been traveling the world, has the potential to be a top photographer, and now works in a bar. She's a bit of a mess. She's had plenty of sex, but it never means anything because it's not Tom. Now Tom's back, and Darcy is going to stay and help with the cottage renovation. Oh, did I mention Darcy has a heart condition that pops up randomly?

Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Well it all is a bit of a mess. I found myself floundering around trying to understand just what the heck was going on. Lots of lust, for sure. Darcy is ready to jump Tom pretty much 24/7. Tom, a big, handsome, kind man, seems to waffle back and forth between being possessive and lusting after Darcy, and standoffish. Talk about mixed signals. It was kind of exhausting trying to follow their conversations and get a handle on what exactly was going on. I also thought it was a bit extreme that anyone would travel the world non-stop and never come home just to avoid the one person they love. I can't say Darcy was a favorite character of mine. She was a mess. Yes, there is a happy ending, but I felt like that could have happened a long time ago, if only they both had been honest with each other early on, and Darcy had told her brother Jamie to stuff it, she was in love with their childhood friend. Sheesh. So much time wasted!

There's some spice for sure--Darcy raises the temperature high with her constant (well hell, I'll just say it) horniness and imaginings of being in bed (or against a wall) with Tom. When Tom turns up the heat, he's pretty hot, I'll say that. 

Apparently Sally Thorne's first novel, The Hating Game, is fantastic, and I think I'll read it. Reviews of 99 Percent Mine compared the two, and by far her first novel is the favorite. Reviewers were on the fence with 99 Percent Mine. Some loved it, some had issues with it like I did, but haven't fallen off the Sally Thorne fan wagon. I'll certainly give her another chance. 

Rating: 3/6 for a contemporary romance that had potential, but seemed to be a bit of a muddle. The characters seem to have trouble with communication, Darcy is permanently horny, and Tom is a bit wishy-washy. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

After reading In Cold Blood, I wanted something completely different; something "fairy tale-ish".  Well, I got fairy tales, just not the light, fluffy tales I was looking for to brighten my reading mood.

I bought this book a few months ago after hearing the buzz about it. The cover, of course, was a big push towards picking up the book.  The cover art is great. I can pick out parts of the story looking at that cover. I am, however, still a bit puzzled as to what exactly I read, and my slight feelings of disappointment/perplextion haven't lessened in the hours since I turned the last page.

Short synopsis: Alice and her mother, Ella, have never stayed in one place for long, in all her seventeen years. Constantly on the move, it seems that bad luck follows them everywhere they go. Finally settling in New York City, Ella does the unthinkable: she gets married. Alice's grandmother, the famous, reclusive author of a book of dark fairy tales, has died, and Ella thinks they are finally free.

But they aren't. Ella is kidnapped--by creatures who populate those dark fairy tales. Those tales aren't tales at all, but in actuality, a place called the Hinterland, and the Hazel Wood is the estate where Alice's grandmother secluded herself and raised Ella. Ella's warning words of never going to the Hazel Wood are ignored by Alice, who sees it as the only chance to find her mother. Alone in the world, she takes a chance and befriends a fellow student, Ellery Finch, who has not only has read the fairy tales, but is an avid fan. As Alice and Ellery realize the Hinterland is bleeding into modern day New York City, the two worlds become more and more entangled, and the line between what is real and what is fairy tale is blurred. 

Alice is a tough character; she's rude, distrustful, and pretty angry. I would be, too, if I never had the chance to settle and have a normal life. Part of her anger stems from feeling rejected by the grandmother she never met, and now never will. The bad luck that seems to follow Alice and her mother is never ending. Ella's unwillingness to discuss her mother, the fairy tales, or the Hazel Wood have left Alice with a lot of dead ends and unanswered questions that can only be answered if she finds Hazel Wood. Is it a real place, or a fairy tale place? Are the fairy tales: dark, cruel, and, quite frankly, murderous, real? 

I was pretty interested in this tale for about 3/4 of the novel. The sense of always being watched; seeing odd ball characters, strange portents that come out of nowhere; these kept me reading. I loved the building of tension, and the wondering, along with Alice of just what the hell was going on. But once Alice arrives at the Hazel Wood, it seemed like a mishmash of absolute nonsense and wild feverish imaginings. I felt like I was wading through, looking for anything to make sense. I couldn't figure out if the Hinterland was trying to kill Alice, or welcome her. And Ellery, well, you'll just have to visit the Hinterland to see where his story goes. 

It's a good book, but I felt it was disjointed, and maybe the author wanted the reader to feel all topsy-turvy and confused. I myself am not a fan of that-especially when I leave the fun house and am still wondering just what the heck that was all about. 

Rating:  2/6 for a novel about very dark fairy tales, and what happens when you mess with them. Also a novel about a young girl who has to grow up, become stronger than she imagines she can be, and finding her place in the world.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

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The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

Sour Grapes by Rachel Goodman

Sometimes a girl just has to read a romance.  And this romance, book 2 in the Blue Plate series by Rachel Goodman, has a prickly heroine and a super hot hero.  It was a really good contemporary romance.  

Margaret lives in Dallas, and is a party planner for the very wealthy.  Her mother is quite possibly the most unpleasant woman I've come across in a story in quite some time.  Margaret can never do anything right. Ever.  She's bruised from a recent breakup and unhappy with life.  She decides to get away from it all by traveling to her grandmother's bed and breakfast for a vacation.

Enter Ryan.  He's pretty impressive, and the sparks fly between him and Margaret.  Margaret is quite a pill and snippy with Ryan, who owns a vineyard next door to her grandmother's B&B.  She's uptight and unhappy, and Ryan's upbeat personality pushes her to examine her life.  Margaret's grandmother keeps her busy around the B&B changing sheets and cleaning the place, but Margaret has plans to make over the B&B and promote it to help her grandmother through a financial pinch.  But she's determined to go back to Dallas, even with her feelings for Ryan growing deeper the longer she stays.  

I didn't feel I missed anything not reading the first book in this series.  I liked knowing Margaret from this book and not coming to it already knowing  Margaret, especially because in the first book, Margaret is the girlfriend who isn't the "one".  Her pain from this breakup pushes her to make changes to her life in Sour Grapes, and her past comes full circle at the end of this romance.

Rachel Goodman writes a lively, engaging, and fun romance.  There is a definite big wallop of chemistry between Ryan and Margaret, and you can't help but cheer them on to a happy ending.  I hope the author writes more romances in this series and includes a glimpse of Ryan and Margaret.  

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for a review copy of this romance.  

Make sure you have a bottle of wine while you read this in your summer reading space!

Rating:  8/10 for an entertaining romance with a not-so-perfect heroine, a super hot hero, engaging secondary characters, and the mother from hell.  

Available as an e-book the week of May 23rd.  

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Sour Grapes by Rachel Goodman

The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Cafe by Mary Simses

Another book that kept staring at me from the bookcases at work while it was still in hardcover.  I finally gave in and bought it in paperback.  And while I did enjoy the novel, I do have a few issues with it.  

First of all, I must admit that I love blueberries.  I mean seriously love blueberries.  As in eating a bowlful of frozen blueberries on a regular basis  and keeping large bags of them in the freezer kind of love.  

So that may have swayed me when I saw the cover of this book.  But as I finished the book, I have to say the title and the cover really aren't much of a match for the story inside.  Yes, blueberries are mentioned throughout the story, but in a way that becomes annoying. Ellen mentions, quite frequently, how her grandmother made the best blueberry muffins EVER.  And how the town of Beacon needs better blueberry muffins than what the cafe offers.  Ok.  Got it.  

 Ellen travels to Beacon, Maine to deliver a letter from her late grandmother to a man she knew many years before.  Ellen is a lawyer in New York City, engaged to an up and coming politician, and happy as a clam.  Until she almost drowns and is rescued by Roy, a local contractor.  Ellen is so happy to be rescued and so caught up in the moment (and her instant attraction to Roy) that she plants a big one on him and it's caught on camera and put in the local newspaper.  She's then known around town as "The Swimmer".  What started out as a quick trip to Maine quickly becomes extended as Ellen begins to realize her grandmother had a past that was very different from what Ellen knew, and she must figure it all out before she can leave Maine.  And then there's Roy.  He just keeps popping up, and her attraction to him is causing her some inner turmoil.  

All in all, the story was entertaining.  It was what I expected, except for that darn cover.  I thought it would be more food related.  In this aspect, the cover is deceptive.  Yes, blueberries are mentioned, and so is the cafe. But they are not the main focus of this novel! The epilogue is really the only part of the book that ties completely into the cover.  I am one of those people who likes the cover to match the overall inner thread of a story, and I feel like that this one just didn't do that.  It is a story about forgiveness, making choices, and finding love in unexpected places.  It's about the fact that we never do know our parents and grandparents that well, and we certainly have no idea who they were and what their hopes and dreams were when they were very young.  Did they love someone else?  Did they have plans that suddenly changed?  Are there people and places they never talk about?  

Fans of contemporary female fiction will enjoy this novel.  There are no great surprises and no terrible secrets.  A good vacation read.  Just be sure there are blueberries within reach.

Rating:  6/10 for a well drawn town with quirky characters and a heroine who finds the courage to jump.  

Available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

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The Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop and Cafe by Mary Simses