11 Books Guaranteed To Make You Want To Stay Home To Read

 

The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John was exactly the kind of book I was in the mood for when I got my hands on it! This book is humorous and suspenseful, it’s light, fun, and it keeps you completely entertained from beginning to end. The book is told in past/present timelines leading up to the present day which worked well as we get to learn more about the characters and their shared past.

There’s nothing better than a good satire and even though the some of the characters were unlikeable, I still wanted to know what was going to happen next.

Take a look:

Belle likes to think herself immune to the dizzying effects of fabulous wealth. But when her best friend, Summer, invites her on a glamorous getaway to the Mediterranean aboard her billionaire boyfriend’s yacht, the only sensible answer is yes. Belle hopes the trip will be a much-needed break from her stalled acting career and uniquely humiliating waitressing job, but once she’s aboard the luxurious Lion’s Den, it soon becomes clear this jet-setting holiday is not as advertised.

Belle’s dream vacation quickly devolves into a nightmare as she and the handful of other girls Summer invited are treated more like prisoners than guests by their controlling host-and in one terrifying moment, Belle comes to see Summer for who she truly is: a vicious gold digger who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Belle realizes she’s going to have to keep her wits about her — and her own big secret closely hidden — if she wants to make it off the yacht alive.

I really enjoyed the author’s humorous writing style and the little details about vacationing on a yacht. The closest I have ever come to living lavishly aboard a luxury boat is watching Below Deck on Bravo. I also liked the setting of this book, the gorgeous French Riviera. How could you not love this book!?

There were some twists and turns that I didn’t expect and I was sad when the book was finished. Poorly behaving, selfish rich people plus lies and murder aboard a yacht, what could be better?

Out on May 19, pre-order here!

 

 

The Last Bathing Beauty by Amy Sue Nathan is a wonderful historical fiction novel. I love the 1950s and the whole essence of this story is just so perfect. A huge fan of books that take place in the 40s/50s/60s, I was so excited to read this book.

Look here:

Everything seemed possible in the summer of 1951. Back then Betty Stern was an eighteen-year-old knockout working at her grandparents’ lakeside resort. The “Catskills of the Midwest” was the perfect place for Betty to prepare for bigger things. She’d head to college in New York City. Her career as a fashion editor would flourish. But first, she’d enjoy a wondrous last summer at the beach falling deeply in love with an irresistible college boy and competing in the annual Miss South Haven pageant. On the precipice of a well-planned life, Betty’s future was limitless.

Decades later, the choices of that long-ago season still reverberate for Betty, now known as Boop. Especially when her granddaughter comes to her with a dilemma that echoes Boop’s memories of first love, broken hearts, and faraway dreams. It’s time to finally face the past—for the sake of her family and her own happiness. Maybe in reconciling the life she once imagined with the life she’s lived, Boop will discover it’s never too late for a second chance.

The story has a dual timeline of past/present and it works well in this book. The setting of a summer resort similar to the Catskills reminded me of the movie Dirty Dancing! It’s not hard to close your eyes and put yourself there. I loved how Betty’s story was told, her lifelong friendships, plus her relationship with her grand-daughter. This was such a good book, the perfect break from all of the heavier suspense novels I’ve been reading.

Get it right now! Go here to get it on Kindle.

 

 

If you want a well-written story that is surprisingly heavy despite the cheerful cover, check out Beach Read by Emily Henry! This book contains the themes of cancer, regret, friendship, betrayal. Of course, I loved the main characters as they are both writers so I could relate. Emily’s writing is so good, its easy to keep reading because it flows and keeps the reader totally engaged.

Take a look:

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

I enjoyed the writing, the dialogue, and the characters in this book and hope that Emily Henry writes more soon.

This comes out on May 19! Pre-order now.

 

 

Because I loved the twisted novel, Our Kind of Cruelty, I was excited to read Imperfect Women by Araminta Hall.

You should know right away that this novel doesn’t have the same dark undertones as Our Kind of Cruelty, it’s not sick and twisted like that book was. This is a suspenseful story that involves characters I found to be insecure and somewhat unlikeable which isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes flawed characters like this are the most intriguing. My favorite relationship in this whole book was Eleanor’s relationship with her neighbor, Irena.

When Nancy Hennessy is murdered, she leaves behind two best friends, a loving husband and daughter, and a secret lover whose identity she took to the grave. Nancy was gorgeous and wealthy, with adoring friends and family—from the outside, her life was perfect. But as the investigation into her death flounders and her friends Eleanor and Mary wrestle with their grief, dark details surface that reveal how little they knew their friend, each other, maybe even themselves.

A gripping, immersive novel about impossible expectations and secrets that fester and become lethal, Imperfect Women unfolds through the perspectives of three fascinating women. Their enduring, complex friendship is the knot the reader must untangle to answer the question: who killed Nancy?

I like Araminta’s writing and the pace of the book, it moved along nicely. There were some plot bombs here that surprised me and kept me turning the pages.   Imperfect Women incorporates themes of friendship, jealously, abuse, secrets, sad women  and terrible husbands.

This comes out on June 16, you can pre-order this now by going here.

 

 

 

This is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf was an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend. Heather is an author whose books I see and just know I’m going to enjoy, I don’t even need to know the plot. I just know that the book is going to be well written and interesting and suspenseful!

Pregnant police officer Maggie Kennedy O’Keefe is investigating the newly reopened case of Eve Knox, a teenager who was murdered but a killer was never caught.

Maggie was the one who found Eve’s dead body over twenty years ago. New evidence in the form of a shoe surfaces and Maggie must revisit the case, the new clue, and try to put the pieces together. We go back and forth between past and present as we learn about events leading up to the murder. The character of Nola is especially unnerving as she straddles the line of being a sociopath/misunderstood.

As we read further into the story, a few potential suspects arise and you don’t know what is going to happen next or who is going to be a suspect. Does everyone have something to hide about their relationship with Eve?

Check it out:

Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence, the case ultimately went cold.

For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened to begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

Don’t miss this fantastic novel from a favorite author. Coming out on May 12, order here.

 

 

 

The End of Her by Shari Lapena might be my favorite book from Shari. Her books are all so good and well written and I just love her writing style! What I enjoyed about this new book was how everyone had secrets and a reason to hate the character of Erika. She is despicable and there is nothing about her I liked.

Patrick is married to Stephanie and they have twin infant girls who just won’t sleep thanks to colic. They are beyond exhausted and struggle to get through every day. Stephanie feels like she’s losing her mind and at work, Patrick is falling behind. One day, a beautiful woman arrives at his office for a job interview. That woman is from Patrick’s past and she inserts herself into his present to make life miserable for him. She and Patrick were involved years ago, right before Patrick’s first wife died of mysterious circumstances. She won’t tell Stephanie about what happened if Patrick does what she says. Because maybe that accidental death wasn’t really an accident…

Then there’s Niall, Patrick’s boss who embarks on an affair with Erika, hoping that his wife never finds out. And Erika doesn’t mind blackmailing the couple who adopted Erika’s baby many years ago, they paid her off for something which was illegal, they hope no one finds out what they did.

Erika knows she can squeeze money out of everyone, for they all have something to hide…and a reason to want her dead.

Synopsis:

Stephanie and Patrick are recently married, with new-born twins. While Stephanie struggles with the disorienting effects of sleep deprivation, there’s one thing she knows for certain – she has everything she ever wanted.

Then a woman from his past arrives and makes a shocking accusation about his first wife. He always claimed her death was an accident – but she says it was murder.

He insists he’s innocent, that this is nothing but a blackmail attempt. But is Patrick telling the truth? Or has Stephanie made a terrible mistake?

How will it end?

I have been reading books quickly and this was one I raced through to see what happened. Several people had a reason to hate Erika, ultimately, would someone do something about her? You will have to read this to find out! It kept me on the edge of my seat and I loved every moment of it.

Coming out July 28, do not miss this perfect suspense novel that is a must-read! Pre-order here.

 

 

The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry is a heavy book that left me with a severe book hangover. Its brilliantly written, full of emotion with sympathetic characters and a storyline that will break your heart into pieces and leave you in need of safe space and a quiet room.

What happens when a shooting occurs at home and a teenager dies? One of the other kids is left in a coma and the other refuses to speak. The mothers of the boys are all longtime best friends who have no choice but to deal with the fall out of this event and the ensuing grief and no one is left unscathed. Lucinda writes so beautifully and the reader is pulled into each woman’s personal hell as she tries to figure out what happened and why. What drove their kids, who they all thought they knew so well, to get a gun and shoot?

The plot:

Best friends Lindsey, Kendra, and Dani endure every parent’s nightmare when a tragic accident befalls their teenage boys, leaving one dead, another in a coma, and a third too traumatized to speak.

Reeling from the worst night of their lives, the three mothers plunge into a desperate investigation of the bizarre incident. How could something so horrible happen in their wealthy Southern California suburb?

They soon discover that the accident was just the beginning, and troubling discoveries lead to chilling questions: Do they really know their children? Do they even know each other? As more secrets surface, a fog of doubt and suspicion threatens to poison their families, their friendships, and the whole community.

With the illusion of happiness and safety long gone, these women must now confront the hazards of heartbreak, the consequences of jealousy, and the dangers of living double lives.

I read a few of the author’s other books and they are very good and engaging but this I think is her best due to the emotion and sympathy between the pages. When I finished this book, I really felt like I had been put through the ringer. It’s tragic and every parent’s nightmare.

FREE with Kindle Unlimited or $4.99 if you don’t have it. This is an excellent book that you don’t want to miss. Pre-order here.

 

 

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones lived up to my expectations which were pretty high. I’ve read everything Sandie has written and enjoyed all of her books! This one was no exception.

After Kate and Lauren’s father dies, they are surprised to find a woman named Jess at their door, claiming to be related to them. She has a DNA test which proves she’s part of their family but neither girl has ever heard of her and their mother doesn’t know anything either.

The girls loved their father and don’t want to believe he cheated on their mother, so who is this girl and what does she want? Because someone just doesn’t randomly show up not wanting anything…plus Kate and Lauren aren’t exactly close and they have their own issues so immediately I wondered what are these two hiding from each other?

Plot:

Sisters Kate and Lauren meet for Sunday lunch every week without fail, especially after the loss of their father.  But a knock at the door is about to change everything. A young woman by the name of Jess holds a note with the results of a DNA test, claiming to be their half- sister.  As the fallout starts, it’s clear that they are all hiding secrets, and perhaps this family isn’t as perfect as it appears.

I like how the author created such tension where everyone has something to hide, motives, and a reason to lie. As you get further into the story, you wonder what could have really happened and who is Jess? When you read suspense, you want to be asking questions and forming your own conclusions but you will probably be wrong, I was!

Sandie Jones is an author whose name I see and I immediately want to read whatever it is she writes. If you haven’t read her previous books, go get one now!

Coming out on June 16, pre-0rder here.

 

 

The Truth Hurts by Rebecca Reid hooked me from the beginning pages when Poppy happens to randomly meet a handsome stranger named Drew. She’s not in a good place at all, having been fired abruptly from her long time nanny job.  At a bar in the middle of the night, sad, desperate and depressed Poppy meets a man who seems too good to be true, Drew. He’s truly a knight in shining armor as he immediately offers Poppy a place to stay for the night. He also buys her new clothes and has her go to a hairdresser basically giving her a Pretty Woman makeover.

Because they are so in love, why ruin it with bringing up the past? Let’s just live in the now! So knowing very little about Drew, Poppy agrees to move into his remote country house. She’s happy to not bring up the past because there are some things she doesn’t really want Drew to know.

She does wonder, however, what Drew is hiding because when she goes into town and people learn where she lives, they quickly clam up and walk away. Did something happen at “Thursday House” and if so, what could be that bad? Of course, Poppy can’t ask Drew because they agreed not to bring up the past…

Plot:

Caught up in a whirlwind romance that starts in sunny Ibiza and leads to the cool corridors of a luxurious English country estate, Poppy barely has time to catch her breath, let alone seriously question if all this is too good to be true. Drew is enamored, devoted, and, okay, a little mysterious—but that’s part of the thrill. What’s the harm in letting his past remain private?

Maybe he’s not the only one…

Fortunately, Drew never seems to wonder why his young wife has so readily agreed to their unusual pact to live only in the here and now and not probe their personal histories. Perhaps he assumes, as others do, that she is simply swept up in the intoxication of infatuation and sudden wealth. What’s the harm in letting them believe that?

How far will they go to keep the past buried?

Isolated in Drew’s sprawling mansion, Poppy starts to have time to doubt the man she’s married, to wonder what in his past might be so terrible that it can’t be spoken of, to imagine what harm he might be capable of. She doesn’t want this dream to shatter. But Poppy may soon be forced to confront the dark truth that there are sins far more dangerous than the sin of omission…

This book surprised me because I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. It really kept me engaged and turning the pages, a true suspense!

Due out on July 28, order here! 

 

 

I really liked J.M. Winchester’s novel, All The Lovely Pieces, so when I saw Last One To Lie, I knew I had to read it! Imagine going to pick your child up from daycare only to find out she was never there? And not only that, there is no record of her? That’s some crazy switching dimensions and timelines stuff right out of the Twilight Zone!

But this isn’t a sci-fi novel so there is a legit reason and as we read further, the pieces began to fall into place, sort of. The reader is guessing especially as we learn the main character, Kelsey, has something to hide…

Check it out:

Moving to a new city was supposed to be a fresh start for her family. Now it’s a nightmare.

Her little girl was supposed to be at day care when Kelsey arrived to pick her up. But they have no record of her daughter ever being there. And to make matters worse, her husband is missing too—he won’t pick up his phone, and the school he supposedly works at says he never accepted their job offer.

Detective Paul Ryan knows something’s up with Kelsey’s story. Kelsey’s husband might be involved in their daughter’s disappearance, but the deeper the detective digs, the more inconsistencies he finds.

As Detective Ryan tries to uncover the truth, what he finds are more deeply buried secrets that someone clearly never wanted found.

From the first pages I was hooked on the story and the suspense kept me glued to the pages all the way until the end. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, who I could trust.  I love a suspense like this and now I need the author to hurry up and write more!

This book comes out on June 9 and you can pre-order here!

 

 

Gemma Rogers writes incredible page-turning novels and if you haven’t read her debut, Stalker, get it right now. That book is one that you read in a single sitting because you have to know what happens and the tension is high throughout every chapter. It would make such a great movie and I hope someone turns it into a film soon!

Payback is also very good and now her third book, Reckless is what I am currently reading and it has me experiencing all kinds of feelings. I’m angry with the main character, I feel sympathy for her, I’m worried about her, and I know things aren’t going to end well for someone…

Look at the plot:

English teacher Izzy Cole wanted a fresh start.  A new town, a new home, a new school.  But when sixth former Nicky Stevens sets his sights on her, he begins to reel her in at a time when she’s most vulnerable. Soon Izzy is risking her family, her career and her life as she finds Nicky wants more than she ever planned to give…

I am halfway through this book but couldn’t wait to share it with you! It’s so good and Gemma is an incredible writer, I’m in awe of how she can create a story that just keeps you tense and nervous and turning the pages from beginning to end.

This book will be published on May 12,  you can pre-order here. It’s only $4.99 on Kindle which is such a deal!

 

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