The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

The Marriage Game by Sara Desai

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5

What can I say about this novel? I adored it! It was a crazy, poignant, funny, sexy, fantastic look into a South Asian (Indian) family and its dating and marriage ideas. This book tells the tale of Layla Patel and her downward spiral in life: she needs to come home again, let her father find her a husband, and find herself. Layla has a beautiful family and friends, and various happenings in this book prove it.

Sam Mehta needs revenge, and he will do it in any way possible. He also just happens to rent the same space for an office that Laylas' father has given her. He happens to be a very sexy, age-appropriate Indian in a committed relationship. Sort of. He can't seem to keep his mind off of Layla, though, and Layla can't keep her mind off of him.

Hilarity ensues as well as a myriad of misunderstandings, and apologies abound.

This book was quite sexy but not too far into ultra-gross descriptions you may not want to know anything of, and those sections are easily skipped -although you may lose a little of the flavor, humor, and tempo if you do.

I will be recommending this book highly.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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SYNOPSIS: A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy.
After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…
As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he's forced to share his space with the owner's beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.
As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

Search Results Web results Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a well written and funny book.
If you liked Bridget Jones Diary you are going to love this book. Not quite as slapstick-ish but this book really follows the BJD formula. Unfortunately, the only reason I took off half a star is that the ending was totally trite. I was rooting for the other guy!

What I was a tad disappointed in, (and took off the other half star)is that this was more of a Brit-chick lit book than an Asian one. I had been hoping to learn more of the Asian culture. That only came in the first -oh say- quarter of the book.

But all-in-all I would recommend this highly. It kept me up nearly all night reading and that is difficult to do.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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Synopsis:Crazy Rich Asians meets Bridget Jones's Diary in this funny and irresistible debut novel about the pursuit of happiness, surviving one's thirties intact, and opening oneself up to love.

At thirty-three, Andrea Tang is living the dream: She has a successful career as a lawyer, a posh condo, and a clutch of fun-loving friends who are always in the know about Singapore's hottest clubs. All she has to do is make law partner, and her life will be perfect. And if she's about to become the lone unmarried member of her generation in the Tang clan--a disappointment her meddling Chinese-Malaysian family won't let her forget--well, she doesn't need a man to complete her.

Yet when a chance encounter with charming, wealthy entrepreneur Eric Deng offers her a glimpse of an exciting, limitless future, Andrea decides to give Mr. Right-for-her-family a chance. Too bad Suresh Aditparan, her office rival and the last man her family would approve of, keeps throwing a wrench in her plans. Now Andrea can't help but wonder: In the endless tug-of-war between pleasing others and pleasing herself, is there room for everyone to win?

The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin

The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The Lies That Bind
by Emily Giffin

I am going to apologize to all you book lovers right this very minute. I read this as an ARC, and so I did not deplete my book-buying budget on this hot mess.

The authors' audacity in using 9/11 as a back-drop for this so-called romance was absurd and hurtful to those born before, say the year 1990. This book may be appropriate for teenagers, but this idea was atrocious for anyone that was an adult that year. Yes, the characters were young, but the buying market still relies on those with the most cash, does it not? I am thoroughly insulted by this usage of a tragedy to push product.

The characters were one-dimensional, did not grow, and had no meaningful relationships to add insult to injury. What links they did have, seemed to be tossed together at the writers' whim and didn't mesh. Cecily just seemed to 'bang' anything that was handy and called it love.

The ending? Trite, cliched, and thrown together just so there could be a HEA.

My apologies to the publisher, but I can't give you anything less than honesty.


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SYNOPSIS: In the irresistible new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted and Something Borrowed, a young woman falls hard for an impossibly perfect man before he disappears without a trace. . . .
It's 2 A.M. on a Saturday night in the spring of 2001, and twenty-eight-year-old Cecily Gardner sits alone in a dive bar in New York's East Village, questioning her life. Feeling lonesome and homesick for the Midwest, she wonders if she'll ever make it as a reporter in the big city--and whether she made a terrible mistake in breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Matthew.
As Cecily reaches for the phone to call him, she hears a guy on the barstool next to her say, "Don't do it--you'll regret it." Something tells her to listen, and over the next several hours--and shots of tequila--the two forge an unlikely connection. That should be it, they both decide the next morning, as Cecily reminds herself of the perils of a rebound relationship. Moreover, their timing couldn't be worse--Grant is preparing to quit his job and move overseas. Yet despite all their obstacles, they can't seem to say goodbye, and for the first time in her carefully constructed life, Cecily follows her heart instead of her head.
Then Grant disappears in the chaos of 9/11. Fearing the worst, Cecily spots his face on a missing-person poster, and realizes she is not the only one searching for him. Her investigative reporting instincts kick into action as she vows to discover the truth. But the questions pile up fast: How well did she really know Grant? Did he ever really love her? And is it possible to love a man who wasn't who he seemed to be?
The Lies That Bind is a mesmerizing and emotionally resonant exploration of the never-ending search for love and truth--in our relationships, our careers, and deep within our own hearts.

Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins

Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kristan Higgins has grown so much as a writer since her very first book - published in 1988, "The Best Man," which had me hooked on this author. Unfortunately, some of her later books lost me since they didn't have that extra something I was looking for in a romance.

These newer books of Ms. Higgans are precisely what I am looking for at this time in my life. I'm older now and do not require the descriptive sex scenes that some writers produce.

In this book, Ms. Higgins takes three women, a mother, and two sisters and delves into their seemingly, perfect lives. We learn that all is not what it seems like on the surface. We do get the expected 'happily ever after' but we get them in some astonishing ways. As with other books of this genre dealing with different medical issues -this book deals with stroke and does it quite well, in my opinion.

I loved this novel and would recommend it to anyone who likes less descriptive sex scenes, and women who are in the three separate age brackets (30's, 40's, 70's), and, especially women dealing with the younger generation in the workplace. This book is also an excellent read for anyone who likes a little comedy with their angst.

This book also raises the interesting question of how much does a person have to change for their partner. Sadie and Noah (the youngest of the couples) raise that question, and I found myself taking sides...I shouldn't have.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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SYNOPSIS: "Sometimes you have to break a family to fix it.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins, a new novel examining a family at the breaking point in all its messy, difficult, wonderful complexity.
The Frosts are a typical American family. Barb and John, married almost fifty years, are testy and bored with each other...who could blame them after all this time? At least they have their daughters-- Barb's favorite, the perfect, brilliant Juliet; and John's darling, the free-spirited Sadie. The girls themselves couldn't be more different, but at least they got along, more or less. It was fine. It was enough.
Until the day John had a stroke, and their house of cards came tumbling down.
Now Sadie has to put her career as a teacher and struggling artist in New York on hold to come back and care for her beloved dad--and face the love of her life, whose heart she broke, and who broke hers. Now Juliet has to wonder if people will notice that despite her perfect career as a successful architect, her perfect marriage to a charming Brit, and her two perfect daughters, she's spending an increasing amount of time in the closet having panic attacks.
And now Barb and John will finally have to face what's been going on in their marriage all along.
From the author of Good Luck with That and Life and Other Inconveniences comes a new novel of heartbreaking truths and hilarious honesty about what family really means. "

The Queen's Secret: A Novel of England's World War II Queen by Karen Harper

The Queen's Secret: A Novel of England's World War II Queen by Karen Harper

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a riveting tale about the behind the scenes life of the Queen Mother Elizabeth and her husband King George VI, their children and World War II.

Mostly this is a look as to how England fought and the difficulty they had in persuading America to join in. As far as I was concerned, the whole issue of the Queen's secret -while vital, took a back seat to the lead up of the War and how the country and the Royalty reacted to the devastation. The author spent so much time hinting around at the 'really big' secret that when finally revealed, it was just meh! I'm not up on the history of the Royals, and I don't know what the ramifications would have been if the secret of Elizabeth's birth had gotten out.

This book is a work of historical fiction, so I'm not sure if all I read was true, and I don't feel compelled to look up the facts. I did love this book, and it did an excellent job of keeping me turning the pages. So much so that I am now looking for similar books.

I would highly recommend this book to those who love reading about WWII and what may be some interesting behind the scenes look at the Royals and what they went through.

*ARC supplied to me by the publisher.


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SYNOPSIS:  If you love Jennifer Robson or The Crown you will love New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper’s novel about Elizabeth, The Queen Mother.
1939. As the wife of the King George VI and the mother of the future queen, Elizabeth—“the queen mother”—shows a warm, smiling face to the world. But it’s no surprise that Hitler himself calls her the “Most Dangerous Woman in Europe.” For behind that soft voice and kindly demeanor is a will of steel.
Two years earlier, George was thrust onto the throne when his brother Edward abdicated, determined to marry his divorced, American mistress Mrs. Simpson. Vowing to do whatever it takes to make her husband’s reign a success, Elizabeth endears herself to the British people, and prevents the former king and his brazen bride from ever again setting foot in Buckingham Palace.
Elizabeth holds many powerful cards, she’s also hiding damaging secrets about her past and her provenance that could prove to be her undoing.
In this riveting novel of royal secrets and intrigue, Karen Harper lifts the veil on one of the world’s most fascinating families, and how its “secret weapon” of a matriarch maneuvered her way through one of the most dangerous chapters of the century.

The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I am finally finished with this book, and I am amazed at it-and not in a good way. I kept plodding on because I've heard that there is a great twist. It was a good twist. However, ARC or not this book is really got on my nerves -there is only so far that I can suspend disbelief or put up with a VERY childishly written novel before I lose it entirely! These are the most one-dimensional characters I have ever encountered. Now that I have finished this book and can see why the plot went the way it did, it does not change my opinion on the writing or the characters. As a matter of fact, now that I know that this was a collaboration, I can say that it feels very much as if one person wrote the first 50% and someone else wrote the ending.

And the more I read this novel, the more I think it doesn't deserve any stars. There are just too many things wrong with this book that I don't even know were to start. I know that they are that way because of the "twist," but an author has to keep it real enough to keep their readers pushing on.

I did not like any of the characters -they are all annoying whining creepoids as far as I'm concerned. I did not even like them after the mystery was revealed. And yet the twist, though explained by Leo, sounded lame and ridiculous.

The twist was brilliant, but not enough to put up with the poor writing.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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SYNOPSIS:

The Wife Stalker
by 

Liv Constantine

Breezing into the tony seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.
Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self, paying attention again to Evie and Stelli, the children they both love beyond measure, Joanna is shocked to discover that it’s not her loving support that’s sparked his renewed happiness—it’s something else.
Piper. Leo has fallen head over heels for the flaky, New Age-y newcomer, and unrepentant and resolute, he’s more than willing to leave Joanna behind, along with everything they’ve built. Of course, he assures her, she can still see the children.
Joanna is devastated—and determined to find something, anything, to use against this woman who has stolen her life and her true love. As she digs deeper into Piper’s past, Joanna begins to unearth disturbing secrets . . . but when she confides to her therapist that she fears for the lives of her ex-husband and children, her concerns are dismissed as paranoia. Can she find the proof she needs in time to save them?

The Summer Deal (Wildstone, #5) by Jill Shalvis

The Summer Deal by Jill Shalvis

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

This is the fifth book in this series, but I had no problems reading this as a stand-alone book. The characters are well developed and grow immensely throughout the book. Ms. Shalvis tackles some rough issues in this novel, including organ transplants -which I felt was unique in a romance novel. The Summer Deal is an excellent beach read. It is a fast read, and it does keep you engrossed.

There are two romances in this novel going on at the same time, each one unique. However, I have several issues with this book. One deals with the fact that these people are close to being thirty years old, and they act more as if they were still teenagers. The other issue I have is that the sisters (even the 'bitchy one) are written in a manner that is just too sweet and treacly. 

All in all, I wasn't disappointed in this novel, I wanted a beach read, and that is precisely what I got!

*ARC provided by the publisher.

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SYNOPSIS: "From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a friends-to-frenemies-to-sisters story… And then add in a love story (okay, two love stories). Shake. Stir. Read on a lazy summer day at the beach.
Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.
And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She's fierce, tough, and pretty much the opposite of Brynn except for one thing: they're half-sisters. Kinsey is keeping this bombshell, and a few others as well. Long time frenemies from summer camp, there’s no way she’s going to tell Brynn they’re related.
But then Brynn runs into Kinsey's lifelong best friend, Eli, renewing a childhood crush. He’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. When he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have a sister, love, and a future―if she can only learn to let go of the past.

As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.

Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin

Happy and You Know It by Laura Hankin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars.

This book was a surprise hit with me. I just couldn't put it down. This novel really hit all of my 'good' buttons. Snarky rich New York City new mommies, a down at her luck musician, perfect and not so perfect babies and a really great new vitamin called TrueMommy!

Now throw into the mix affairs, drugs, revenge, and Instagram, shake gently, and you have the perfect beach read.

Wonderfully well fleshed, believable characters, a unique plot, some pretty cool secrets and well turn phrases made this book a joy to read. The twisted ending was a genuine surprise and a pleasure.

Although I may not be in the 'proper" age bracket for this book -I'm over 60, and the characters are much younger than I-I still found this a great read, and I think all age brackets will enjoy this novel.

I will be recommending this to everyone this summer.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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SYNOPSIS: A dark, witty page-turner about a struggling young musician who takes a job singing for a playgroup of overprivileged babies and their effortlessly cool moms, only to find herself pulled into their glamorous lives and dangerous secrets.... After her former band shot to superstardom without her, Claire reluctantly agrees to a gig as a playgroup musician for wealthy infants on New York's Park Avenue. Claire is surprised to discover that she is smitten with her new employers, a welcoming clique of wellness addicts with impossibly shiny hair, who whirl from juice cleanse to overpriced miracle vitamins to spin class with limitless energy. There is perfect hostess Whitney who is on the brink of social-media stardom and just needs to find a way to keep her flawless life from falling apart. Caustically funny, recent stay-at-home mom Amara who is struggling to embrace her new identity. And old money, veteran mom Gwen who never misses an opportunity to dole out parenting advice. But as Claire grows closer to the stylish women who pay her bills, she uncovers secrets and betrayals that no amount of activated charcoal can fix. Filled with humor and shocking twists, Happy and You Know It is a brilliant take on motherhood – exposing it as yet another way for society to pass judgment on women – while also exploring the baffling magnetism of curated social-media lives that are designed to make us feel unworthy. But, ultimately, this dazzling novel celebrates the unlikely bonds that form, and the power that can be unlocked, when a group of very different women is thrown together when each is at her most vulnerable.

It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis (Good To The Last Death, #1) by Robyn Peterman

It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis by Robyn Peterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cute, funny, sexy, surprising and mysterious - also confusing, and ends on a cliff-hanger, thought the next book comes out in a few days on May 18th. Free (as is this one) with Kindle Unlimited.

No sex scenes in this book, just some heavy petting, and lusting.

Not the perfect book but it is free and kept my mind off of our world-wide problems.


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SYNOPSIS:

It's A Wonderful Midlife Crisis

(Good to the Last Death #1)

by 

Robyn Peterman 

A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!


Whoever said life begins at forty must have been heavily medicated, drunk, or delusional.

Thirty-nine was a fantastic year. I was married to the man I loved. I had a body that worked without creaking. My grandma, who raised me, was still healthy, and life was pretty damned good.

But as they say, all good things come to an end. I’d honestly love to know who ’they’ are and rip them a new one.

One year later, I’m a widow. My joints are starting to ache. Gram is in the nursing home, and dead people think my home is some kind of supernatural bed and breakfast. Gluing body parts onto semi-transparent people has become a side job—deceased people I’m not even sure are actually there. I think they need my help, but since I don’t speak dead, we’re having a few issues.

To add to the heap of trouble, there’s a new dangerously smokin’ hot lawyer at the firm who won't stop giving me the eye. My BFF is
thrilled with her new frozen face, thanks to her plastic surgeon, her alimony check, and the miracle of Botox. And then there’s the little conundrum that I’m becoming way too attached to my ghostly squatters… Like Cher, I'd like to turn back time. Now.

No can do.

Whatever. I have wine, good friends, and an industrial sized box of superglue. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything, apparently.

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a wonderful midlife crisis…

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe

On Ocean Boulevard by Mary Alice Monroe

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I don't know if I didn't like this book because I should have read the other's in this series, or if I didn't like this book because it was a convoluted mish-mash of storytelling.

I did learn a whole lot about the loggerhead turtles, and I did get pounded with eco politics - so those two issues cancel each other out.

There were so many story-lines that I wasn't quite sure just who this book was supposed to be about -I had thought it was supposed to be about Linnea. Still, it really wasn't; it was more about Cara and Linea's mother and the descriptions f everything. Descriptions of clothing, what each person looked like, of course, the beach, the water, and the turtles.

The personalities rang flat to me, and the plotlines must have been written for someone who has followed this series. I would suggest if you are looking to start here, you do not do so.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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SYNOPSIS:The New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Guests returns at long last to her beloved Beach House series in this breathtaking novel about one family’s summer of forging new beginnings against the enduring beauty and resilience of the natural world.
It’s been sixteen years since Caretta “Cara” Rutledge has returned home to the beautiful shores of Charleston, South Carolina. Over those years, she has weathered the tides of deaths and births, struggles and joys. And now, as Cara prepares for her second wedding, her life is about to change yet again.
Meanwhile, the rest of the storied Rutledge family is also in flux. Cara’s niece Linnea returns to Sullivan’s Island to begin a new career and an unexpected relationship. Linnea’s parents, having survived bankruptcy, pin their hopes and futures on the construction of a new home on Ocean Boulevard. But as excitement over the house and wedding builds, a devastating illness strikes the family and brings plans to a screeching halt. It is under these trying circumstances that the Rutledge family must come together yet again to discover the enduring strength in love, tradition, and legacy from mother to daughter to granddaughter.
Like the sea turtles that come ashore annually on these windswept islands, three generations of the Rutledge family experience a season of return, rebirth, and growth. “Authentic, generous, and heartfelt” (Mary Kay Andrews, The New York Times bestselling author), On Ocean Boulevard is Mary Alice Monroe at her very best.

Close Up (Burning Cove #4) by Amanda Quick

Close Up by Amanda Quick

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars


It has been a very long time since I have read an Amanda Quick novel, but I am so glad to have taken a chance with this one. Although it is the fourth in this series, it is also what could be called a stand-alone novel. Each book deals with a different couple.

The era (the 1930's) that the author chose is just perfect, and I wholeheartedly believe that she has done excellent research into that time period. This era was the era of the flapper, women wearing pants, and breaking into what has always been considered 'men's' work. But Vivian is also working on the quiet as a photojournalist.

In this book, Vivian (the main female character) is breaking into photography as an art form. (think nude male models!) One of the unusual things about Vivian is that she has a strong intuition, and she puts that to good use. The male protagonist, Nick, also has some paranormal leanings, and he meets up with Vivian in a most unusual way.

The story is exciting, frustrating, suspenseful, informative as to the historical background, confusing yet straightforward. The ending seemed to have come out of the blue. In other words, I love it, and I am planning on buying the three earlier novels that I've missed.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.


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Synopsis: "Welcome to Burning Cove, California where 1930s Hollywood glamour conceals a ruthless killer…
Vivian Brazier never thought life as an art photographer would include nightly wake-up calls to snap photos of grisly crime scenes or headshots for aspiring male actors. Although she is set on a career of transforming photography into a new art form, she knows her current work is what’s paying the bills.
After shooting crime scene photos of a famous actress, the latest victim of the murderer the press has dubbed the “Dagger Killer,” Vivian notices eerie similarities to the crime scenes of previous victims—details that only another photographer would have noticed—details that put Vivian at the top of the killer’s target list.
Nick Sundridge has always been able to “see” things that others don’t, coping with disturbing dreams and visions. His talent, or as he puts it—his curse—along with his dark past makes him a recluse, but a brilliant investigator. As the only one with the ability to help, Nick is sent to protect Vivian. Together, they discover the Dagger Killer has ties to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood royalty and high society. It is a cutthroat world of allure and deception that Vivian and Nick must traverse—all in order to uncover the killer who will stop at nothing to add them to their gallery of murders."