Books by Shalini Boland never disappoint! She must spend twenty hours a day writing because it seems like she’s got a new book every few months and they are always page-turners! Family Holiday was no exception.
This was just what you want a suspense novel to be: quickly moving, interesting, keeps you wondering what’s going to happen next with a satisfying ending.
SYNOPSIS:
Two families. One house swap. A vacation to die for.
The white-washed Italian villa is perfect. I thought it might feel odd, living in a stranger’s house for the summer, but as my husband and children swim in the infinity pool, I start to relax. And then, in the back of a wardrobe, I find something that shatters everything…
Sparkling green eyes, square jaw, lopsided smile. A young man with his arm around a beautiful woman. The picture is old and faded but I’d recognise him anywhere. The man is my husband.
But we’ve never met the family we’ve swapped homes with and my husband swears it isn’t him in the photo. He’s lying. We argue on the balcony with the sun setting behind us and I storm out.
When I finally calm down enough to go back to the villa to confront him, I find his dead body sprawled across the veranda.
Who killed my husband? Was our marriage a lie? And are my children now in terrible danger?
If you haven’t read books by Shalini before, now is the time! You cannot go wrong with any of them.
You are going to want to get your hands on A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch, its “A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by BuzzFeed, The Millions, Goodreads, BookRiot, and The Nerd Daily” so you know its going to be good.
I don’t mind an unlikeable main character, maybe I am in the minority but sometimes the not-so-nice characters are more fun to read about. And in this book, insecure Naomi is not exactly someone you’d be friends with in real life.
I thought this was a fun and entertaining novel, I am sure tons of readers will devour this one!
SYNOPSIS:
Twenty-four-year-old New York bookseller Naomi Ackerman is desperate to write a novel, but struggles to find a story to tell. When, after countless disastrous dates, she meets Caleb—a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all her quirks—she thinks she’s finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. Then Caleb’s ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene.
Upon learning that Rosemary is not safely tucked away in Caleb’s homeland overseas, but in fact lives in New York and also works in the literary world, Naomi is threatened and intrigued in equal measure. If they both fell for the same man, what else might they have in common? The more Naomi learns about Rosemary, the more her curiosity consumes her. Before she knows it, her casual Instagram stalking morphs into a friendship under false pretenses—and becomes the subject of her nascent novel.
As her lies and half-truths spiral out of control, and fact and fiction become increasingly difficult to untangle, Naomi must decide what—and who—she’s willing to sacrifice to write the perfect ending.
I’m such a big fan of Danny Pellegrino’s podcast, Everything Iconic! Not a week goes by that I don’t listen to his take on my favorite Bravo shows, my most non-guilty pleasure! Danny has such a fun way of telling stories and I always relate to him in some way. We both grew up in small towns back east so when he references his childhood or teens, I can put myself back in NJ. We are also both writers who live in southern California so we are basically twins. He’s also got a great sense of humor and will get sidetracked with memories from the 80s/90s which always make me laugh.
I was super excited to get an advanced copy of How Do I Un-Remember This? This was a humorous read, filled with stories that make you laugh and /or cringe! Some of the stories I remember from the podcast, some were new. This was a super quick read for me, it flowed well and was so entertaining! I loved it.
SYNOPSIS:
Think of the most embarrassing thing that’s every happened to you. Was it the time your high school cheer squad taunted you in front of the entire town? Was it the time your best friend’s mom caught you streaking in all your naked, self-conscious glory? What about the time you accidentally threw a tooth at your dry cleaner or took an urn into Kohl’s for some holiday shopping?
For Danny Pellegrino, the answer is all of the above.
Growing up as a closeted gay kid in small-town Ohio wasn’t easy, and Danny has the stories to prove it. But coming of age in the 90s still meant something magical to Danny. The music, film, and celebrity moments of his youth were truly iconic, and his love for all things pop culture connected him to a world larger than the one he knew in the suburban Midwest. And through all the pains of growing up, Danny could always look to that world for hope—whether that meant bingeing The Nanny until he had the confidence of Fran Fine, belting out Brandy songs until his heartaches were healed, or watching semi-clothed Ryan Phillippe scenes until his cheeks burned from blushing.
I’ll read pretty much every Claire Allan writes! When I saw she had a new book coming, The Nurse, I knew I had to get my hands on it! I didn’t read the synopsis before starting so I was slightly confused because I thought the book would be about an evil nurse. I was not correct!
SYNOPSIS:
Someone is watching her. She just doesn’t know it yet.
The unputdownable new book from the bestselling author of Her Name Was Rose.
Everyone has a secret. But some are worse than you could ever imagine.
Nell Sweeney has led an ordinary life. Every day she walks to and from the hospital where she works as a nurse, believing that no harm can befall her.
Until one day she is taken.
Because someone out there has a secret. Someone out there has been watching Nell – and they’ve been watching others like her too.
Nell is the unlucky one – she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if she isn’t found soon, someone will make sure that she isn’t the last woman to be taken…
This was a solid story but I did not like the character known in the book as “him,” a man who hates women, he likes to follow them, and then film their anxiety and fear. It made me uneasy, knowing there are people like that who exist.
This book was a most pleasant surprise, I loved The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers! From the first page, I was hooked. Sometimes an author has a way of writing that just pulls me in immediately. From start to finish, I was so into this book. Everything was perfect from the main character to the storyline to the pacing, I cannot recommend this enough especially if you like historical fiction!
SYNOPSIS:
Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.
But she soon learns that Bright Leaf isn’t quite the carefree paradise that it seems. A trail of misfortune follows many of the women, including substantial health problems, and although Maddie is quick to believe that this is a coincidence, she inadvertently uncovers evidence that suggests otherwise.
Maddie wants to report what she knows, but in a town where everyone depends on Big Tobacco to survive, she doesn’t know who she can trust—and fears that exposing the truth may destroy the lives of the proud, strong women with whom she has forged strong bonds.
Shedding light on the hidden history of women’s activism during the post-war period, at its heart, The Tobacco Wives is a deeply human, emotionally satisfying, and dramatic novel about the power of female connection and the importance of seeking truth.
Another fabulous historical fiction novel, Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft! A must-read for those who enjoy stories taking place during World War II. You are going to love the story and the characters like I did. This is the perfect novel to read on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea!
SYNOPSIS:
England, 1941. The world is at war. London is under siege as the German blitz pounds the city without warning, without mercy. Rose Hamilton did her part as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force until she was unfairly discharged following a tragic loss. Working as a secretary on a Devon farmland, Rose is out of harm’s way, but she needs to contribute to something greater than herself to truly recover.
Answering a newspaper advertisement for a companion to accompany an orphaned child to Australia, Rose becomes enchanted with four-year-old Walter Lucknow. Shy, imaginative, and kind, the boy lost his parents and has been living in near seclusion with his elder great aunt. As heir to a wealthy Australian cattle station, Walter must return to his homeland and his mother’s family.
Leaving her own family—and fiancé—Rose braves the long, dangerous voyage across Pacific waters where war is imminent to see Walter safely home. But upon arrival, Rose learns the truth about Walter’s relationship to the Lucknows and the land he’s supposed to inherit, a truth that haunts the boy’s Uncle Max, a wounded pilot scarred inside and out. And as Max opens his heart up to Walter, Rose is drawn to the man’s strength and compassion, finding herself torn between returning to England and staying with the child and man she’s grown to love.
Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino is a timely story about four women in the workplace who start an anonymous blog where they can discuss their awful experiences working for these horrible men in the entertainment industry. Other people begin to come forward to share their experiences and before long, this whole thing has grown into something huge. This book would make such a good tv series!
SYNOPSIS:
Best friends Cate, Lauren, Olivia and Max are overworked and underpaid assistants to some of the most powerful people in the entertainment industries. Like the assistants who came before them, the women know they have to pay their dues and abide the demeaning tasks and verbal abuse from their bosses in order to climb the ladders to their dream jobs.
But as they are passed over for promotions and the toxic office environments reach a breaking point, the women secretly start an anonymous blog detailing their experiences, which snowballs into hundreds of others coming forward with stories of their own. Confronted with newfound viral fame and the possibility of their identities being revealed, the assistants have to contend with the life-changing consequences of speaking out against those who refuse to share the power.
Another book I absolutely loved and I shed real tears while reading it. I HIGHLY recommend The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith. This one just really hit me!
Greta and her mom were always super close, Greta and her dad… not so much. But when Greta’s mom dies and she takes her place to go on a cruise with her father, it’s an opportunity for her to bond with her dad instead of butting heads like they usually do. Of course, nothing is ever easy, especially with resentments and hurt feelings bubbling under the surface.
Having been on an Alaskan cruise, I could imagine everything the author describes. I loved all the details of Alaska! Everyone needs to go at least once. And everyone needs to read this lovely book!
SYNOPSIS:
Right after the sudden death of her mother—her first and most devoted fan—and just before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta James falls apart on stage. The footage quickly goes viral and she stops playing, her career suddenly in jeopardy—the kind of jeopardy her father, Conrad, has always predicted; the kind he warned her about when he urged her to make more practical choices with her life.
Months later, Greta—still heartbroken and very much adrift—reluctantly agrees to accompany Conrad on the Alaskan cruise her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary. It could be their last chance to heal old wounds in the wake of shared loss. But the trip will also prove to be a voyage of discovery for them both, and for Ben Wilder, a charming historian, onboard to lecture about The Call of the Wild, who is struggling with a major upheaval in his own life. As Greta works to build back her confidence and Ben confronts an uncertain future, they find themselves drawn to and relying on each other.
It’s here in this unlikeliest of places—at sea, far from the packed city venues where she usually plays and surrounded by the stunning scenery of Alaska—Greta will finally confront the choices she’s made, the heartbreak she’s suffered, and the family hurts that run deep. In the end, she’ll have to decide what her path forward might look like—and how to find her voice again.
Loreth Anne White is another author whose books ARE ALL SO GOOD. I just see her name and know I have to read whatever she writes.
The Patient’s Secret was excellent- plotted perfectly with a tight storyline.
SYNOPSIS:
When the battered body of a female jogger is found beneath the cliffs of an idyllic coastal community, these perfect neighbors suddenly don’t seem so perfect…
Lily Bradley is a respected psychotherapist married to a distinguished professor. They live in a dream house with their two children in close-knit Story Cove. Lily lives a well-ordered life. Or so it seems. As a therapist, she knows everyone keeps things hidden. Even her.
Then sensual and free-spirited Arwen Harper rolls into town in her hand-painted VW van, her sixteen-year-old son riding shotgun. Overnight, Story Cove’s secrets are no longer safe. Because Arwen might know her new neighbors better than they know themselves.
Now someone is dead, and it looks like murder. Brutal and personal. The death invites the shrewd eye of Detective Rue Duval. Rue’s job is to expose secrets. But she’s also an expert at keeping them.
As the lives of three women become inexorably entwined, one thing is clear: when it comes to survival, ordinary people can do the most terrible things.
SNEAK PEEK… COMING IN APRIL
The No-Show was another hit from Beth O’Leary but not as quirky and funny as her other books. There’s a little twist to the book which made everything fall into place and make sense. I kind of missed the vibe that Beth’s other books seem to have, but don’t let that deter you, its still a good solid read that will entertain you!
SYNOPSIS:
Siobhan is a quick-tempered life coach with way too much on her plate. Miranda is a tree surgeon used to being treated as just one of the guys on the job. Jane is a soft-spoken volunteer for the local charity shop with zero sense of self-worth.
These three women are strangers who have only one thing in common: they’ve all been stood up on the same day, the very worst day to be stood up—Valentine’s Day. And, unbeknownst to them, they’ve all been stood up by the same man.
Once they’ve each forgiven him for standing them up, they are all in serious danger of falling in love with a man who may have not just one or two but three women on the go….
Is there more to him than meets the eye? Where was he on Valentine’s Day? And will they each untangle the truth before they all get their hearts broken?
I always forget how much I love historical fiction! I read The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale quickly- and enjoyed it! I didn’t know much about Nellie Bly and would love to read more about her. This story is a fictionalized account of Nellie and how she got into the insane asylum so she could write an expose. Pretty brave of her!
SYNOPSIS:
In 1887 New York City, Nellie Bly has ambitions beyond writing for the ladies pages, but all the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional, respectable and delicate to do the job. But then the New York World challenges her to an assignment she’d be mad to accept and mad to refuse: go undercover as a patient at Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum for Women.
For months, rumors have been swirling about deplorable conditions at Blackwell’s, but no reporter can get in—that is, until Nellie feigns insanity, gets committed and attempts to survive ten days in the madhouse. Inside, she discovers horrors beyond comprehension. It’s an investigation that could make her career—if she can get out to tell it before two rival reporters scoop her story.
Another absolute must-read historical fiction novel, Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. I loved this book. The characters, story, plot, how it all unfolded, everything about it was just A+ and I encourage you to read it too.
SYNOPSIS:
Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies.
But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten.
Because history repeats what we don’t remember.
Jeneva Rose’s new book One of Us Is Dead is another book you must read if you love fast-paced murder mysteries! This was a super fun, super quick read. The author is a fantastic story-teller, I will read anything she writes.
SYNOPSIS:
Meet the women of Buckhead—a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships.
Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she’s been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge …
Crystal has stepped into Shannon’s old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she’s up against …
Olivia has waited years to take Shannon’s crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book …
Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients’ secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell?
Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead—and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.
