Review: April May Fall

April May Fall by Christina Hovland

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was really enjoying this book until I realized what an ineffectual, weak parent April is. She does come through towards the end of the book though. As a matter of fact, I find that most books about mothering have been along these lines lately. The parents are so afraid of any sort of discipline. I must be of the wrong generation to appreciate these new guidelines.

I can see how the romance will progress, and so far, it is quite cute. As I finish this book, the 'romance' gets quite steamy and though they don't want it, stronger feelings prevail-and no I'm not spoiling this book, since this is the way most of these books go!

The neighborhood friends are just the types of people I would claim as friends too!

Rant

My issue at the moment is just exactly when did children become the adults in these relationships? When did adults get so wishy-washy that they bribe their children to get them to do what they are told? Why are there no longer consequences to children's misbehavior?  

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SYNOPSIS: "April Davis totally has her life in order. Ha! Not really. Yes, she’s the Calm Mom—a social influencer with a reputation for showing moms how to stay calm and collected through yoga—but behind the scenes, she’s barely holding it all together. Raising tiny humans alone is exhausting, but that’s just the chewed-up cherry on the melted sundae of her life. Her kids aren’t behaving, her husband left her for his skydiving instructor, and her top knot proves she hasn’t showered in days.

Then a live video of the “always calm” April goes viral...and she’s most definitely not. Enter Jack Gibson, April’s contact at the media conglomerate that has purchased April’s brand. The too-sexy-for-his-own good Jack will help clean up April’s viral mess, and even work with her to expand her influence, but toddler tea parties and a dog with a penchant for peeing on his shoes were definitely not part of the deal.

Now April’s calm has jumped ship quicker than her kids running from their vegetables. Not to mention, the sparks flying between her and Jack have her completely out of her depth. Forget finding her calm—April’s going to need a boatload of margaritas just to find her way back to herself again.

Each book in the Mommy Wars series is STANDALONE:

* Rachel, Out of Office
* There's Something About Molly
* April May Fall
* Everything’s Fine, Emmaline"

Review: The Santa Suit

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can't believe that I received this book as an ARC. I had already made plans to pre-order it!

 I have two favorite Southern authors - Fannie Flagg and  Mary Kay Andrews.  Mary Kay usually gives me a lighter look into the South, and Southern mysteries with a little bit of naughtiness mixed in. I adore her writing. Everything she ever wrote is on my 'Comfort Reads' shelf. This is the shelf I use when the world gets too horrible, and I need something funny, with a good kick-butt heroine. (not physically kick-butt but mentally!)

 Ms. Flagg is a bit deeper with her writing.  And if you liked Ms. Flaggs [book:A Redbird Christmas|199532], you will adore this book.

This particular book, The Santa Suit, seems to blend both of my favorite authors, and I nearly swooned with ecstasy when I read this book.  I adore romance, mystery, with a little bit of fairy dust mixed in, and this book had all of that and more.

This book will be a bit boring to some (no action-packed scenes, no raunchy sex), but to many others, it will show them the softer side of Christmas, the kindness of strangers, and fate.

This was a fast read, more of a long novella than a full-length book-just what I need during the holidays when I'm so busy.

I will certainly be re-reading this during the holidays!

*ARC supplied by MacMillan Books, Ms. Andrews, and NetGalley. My deepest thanks. 

 

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SYNOPSIS:"From May Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of Hello, Summer, comes a novella celebrating the magic of Christmas and second chances in The Santa Suit.

When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love--but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit--beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love."

Review: Nanny Needed

Nanny Needed by Georgina Cross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

Usually, with thrillers, one can see what is coming but on slightly. With this book, you are practically smacked in the face with it. Even the 'twist' at the end. However, this book is written fairly well, so I was able to thrust that aside just for the pleasure of this popcorn read. The creepiness factor was a big plus, and this would make a fine Halloween read!

My biggest complaints are - Jonathan and his idiocy pursuing what he should not have been. The fact that the story ended so abruptly, the thought that Sarah and her beau needed money so badly that she didn't run the other direction, and, of course, she didn't fully read her 'contract'. The fact that Sarah was so wishy-washy didn't help things much.

Yet even with all my complaints, this book was a fun read -as long as you can suspend your disbelief enough.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, author, and NetGalley.

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Review: A Christmas Courtship

A Christmas Courtship by Shelley Shepard Gray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an endearing look into a family, a 42-year-old bachelor, a sixteen-year-old, and courtship.

One word of caution for those who may be sensitive-there is discussion of past wife and child physical abuse.

Atle has been attracted to Sadie Mast for years and has decided he wants to court her. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to go about that and asks for help from the bookmobile librarian who has recently married. You'll have to read the book to see what he asks...it was worth a chuckle or two! I don't want to spoil it for you.

At the same time, Sadies 16-year-old son Cale is trying to figure out his life and deal with the many responsibilities thrust on him since his father died. He is also thinking of a courtship! With his boss's daughter, no less!

This was a wonderful, heartwarming read that takes place during the Christmas season and is religious-themed without being 'overly' religious.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author (one of my favorites), and ATTL/Edelweiss.

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SYNOPSIS: "In this endearing Christmas tale, a bookmobile librarian knows just the novel to help an Amish bachelor woo his next-door neighbor in the latest installment of the “charming” (Carla Laureano, RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye) Berlin Bookmobile series.

A solitary sort, forty-two-year-old Atle Petersheim spends his time hard at work in his wood shop. But as the days get long, he realizes just how lonely he’s become. When his longtime crush, Sadie Mast, a widow and mother of three, asks him to help her build a room in their barn for her son Cale, Atle can’t say no. Eager to pursue Sadie at last, he turns to bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller for courting advice. More than happy to help, Sarah Anne decides the best way to learn about love is through books—romance novels to be precise.

Between completing holiday orders for her flourishing food business, helping Cale navigate a dramatic new relationship with his boss’s daughter, and coming to terms with the trauma her late husband had inflicted upon her and her children—not to mention Atle showing up at her door with flowers—Sadie is in over her head. Though Atle’s efforts are initially clumsy and his declarations a bit awkward, Sadie can’t help but be charmed by him. He’s patient and kind...and at times even seems to know far more about romance than he’s let on.

Another delightful romance about the “transformative powers of love, hope, and faith” (Publishers Weekly), A Christmas Courtship is the perfect holiday read."

Review: The Party Crasher

The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I usually only need a few chapters of a book to realize that I'm not going to love it. However, I read the other reviews and decided to persevere. I'm glad I kept going. What started out as a childish and very stubborn idea on Effies' part became the crux of this novel. I to have memories of my growing up days and now at my age, I can see that I was prettying them up. And that is what happened in Effies' life. But, of course, her father's girlfriend Krista didn't help matter...or did she? Well, you won't really know until you reach the end of this book. Let's just say that eavesdropping can be informative as well as hurtful. This was a great coming-of-age novel that deals with so much more and has a romantic HEA! *ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

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Review: A Christmas Engagement: An Amish Romance

A Christmas Engagement: An Amish Romance by Linda Byler

It is important for you to understand that this book recap is not the correction. I've posted the correct one just after my review!

This book is exactly what I've come to expect from Amish romances. Sweet, religious but not overly religious, and with this book letting us Englishers know that even the Amish are trying to understand why some things can't stay the same! found that although I understood Liz's predicament, she was having too difficult of a time trusting. I guess that even for some religious people, "turn the other cheek" must mean something different than it means to me. Yes, Lix got dumped in a most spectacular way, and yes, her esteem suffered a huge hit. But, I just didn't enjoy totally the fact that she thought so little of herself. That she couldn't seem to trust Matthew.


This book made for a good traditional romance in that it exhibited some behavior that I thought was forbidden to the Amish. Well, like it was pointed out, everything changes!

I recommend this book to those that love clean (nonsexual) romance and a well-written story. However, if you are like me and have no true Deity, there should be no issues with this book because the author doesn't overly dwell on God.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and Edelweiss/ATTL.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Until Goodreads fixes this, I would like you to know that the book synopsis that you read HERE is incorrect.
THIS IS THE TRUE SYNOPSIS:"Liz had been in love once, had even been engaged. In fact, the wedding had been planned, the barn cleaned, and the celery was set to be harvested to make the traditional wedding soup. Just two weeks before the day she was to exchange vows with her beloved, he changed his mind, and that was that.

The humiliation was almost as bad as the heartbreak. The whole community had celebrated her engagement, had participated in the wedding planning, had started giving her advice on keeping a home and raising children. When the wedding was canceled, no one knew what to say. She had to bear the pitying looks and awkward glances for many months. She vowed never to be such a fool again, never to trust her heart to a man who could just up and leave her with hardly an explanation. She'd rather be an old maid than go through that again.

Years pass, and Liz has made peace with her life as a single woman, a "leftover blessing" as the Amish say. She can admit to herself that Matthew, the owner of the Amish restaurant at the market where she works, is handsome. And she is aware that he is single. But she reminds herself over and over that it's not worth feeling anything for the man. He's her boss and that's it. So why does she look forward to work so much every day? And why can't she make her heart beat at a normal pace when he comes near?

Linda Byler is beloved for her skillful story telling and true-to-life descriptions of Amish food, faith, and culture. As an Amish woman herself, she can share details of Amish life that few can replicate. In this charming novel, Byler shares intimate details of day-to-day life in an Amish community while spinning a sweet tale of love and hopes fulfilled at Christmastime."

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Review: Driva: An Epic Nordic Novel

Driva: An Epic Nordic Novel by Gunhild Haugnes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First things first, right? This is a Kindle Unlimited book, and so is the second book Thoron: An Epic Nordic Novel. That in itself makes up for some of the difficulty I had reading this novel. However, I may have had an easier time reading the first two books before reading this one. I would have had an idea of the author's writing style, how characters are depicted, language, etc.!

Don't get me wrong; I love learning about Norse mythology, Viking women, the class system, and paganism. But, I love strong women and learning about other cultures too.

I did have some problems with the variety (amount) of characters, the time shifts, how many royal families there are, and the politics. I also had a problem with how long some parts were drawn out.

*ARC supplied by the publisher.

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SYNOPSIS: "A devastating plague. A Christian queen. A pagan life quest.

The year is 1349, and The Black Death is devouring Norway.

Up in the mountains, Driva is unaware of its destruction of everything she holds dear in the village. She doesn’t yet know that she’s the daughter of the goddess Freya. She doesn’t yet know that she'll be tasked with the quest of a lifetime.

Driva will serve the greatest queen of the North. But first she must abandon all she knows...
...and fight her way to the sorceress of Snøhetta.

...................
Driva is the third stand-alone novel in the Daughters of Freya-series. The main characters in the series are bound by ties of blood, and they have all been tasked with life-altering quests by Freya, with the survival of the Earth at stake."

Review: The Burning

The Burning by Jonathan Kellerman
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I would definitely recommend this book to those who love the male Kellerman's writing. But, unfortunately, it just wasn't my cup of coffee!

I have only read one or two books by Mr. Kellerman, but I do love his wife's writing, so I thought I would take a chance with this new series by him and his son.

It was an interesting premise and very up-to-date, what with all the wildfires burning out west right this minute.

I did not have a problem with not having read the previous novels in this series. However, I did have several issues with this particular book. One of them is that the storyline is extremely similar to a book by David Baldacci. A missing brother who had been in jail...The other issue I have is that the twist was so out in the left-field that I just couldn't believe it. No matter how I tried to suspend my disbelief, I just couldn't make it work.

Most of the characters are unlikeable for various reasons, and that just didn't add to my reading pleasure at all.

Again as I said with the first line in this review--I would definitely recommend this book to those who love the male Kellerman's writing.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the authors, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "Things get personal for Deputy Coroner Clay Edison when a murder hits close to home in this riveting, emotional thriller from the bestselling father-son team who write "brilliant, page-turning fiction" (Stephen King).

A raging wildfire. A massive blackout. A wealthy man shot to death in his palatial hilltop home.

For Clay Edison, it's all in a day's work. As a deputy coroner, caring for the dead, he speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. He prides himself on an unflinching commitment to the truth. Even when it gets him into trouble.

Then, while working the murder scene, Clay is horrified to discover a link to his brother, Luke. Horrified. But not surprised. Luke is fresh out of prison and struggling to stay on the straight and narrow.

And now he's gone AWOL.

The race is on for Clay to find him before anyone else can. Confronted with Luke's legacy of violence, Clay is forced to reckon with his own suspicions, resentments, and loyalties. Is his brother a killer? Or could he be the victim in all of this, too?

This is Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman at their most affecting and page-turning--a harrowing collision of family, revenge, and murder. 

Review: Double Solitaire: A Novel

Double Solitaire: A Novel by Craig Nova
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A rocky start to what sounds like a new series from an oldtimer. A new book hasn't been published since 2013, so it was exciting to read his latest novel. I have never read anything by this author, so I didn't have any expectations. I'm glad I did not have any. This way, I had nothing to be disappointed about with this book that tries too hard to be crime noir (for the sake of clarity -Noir fiction or roman noir). I happen to like my term better! LOL!

If you're as old as I am or happen to love crime movies from the 1940's, you may do as I did and imagine each character as an old-time actor or actress. It was disconcerting to think of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall or Katharine Hepburn in the rolls of Farrell and Rose Marie. I could plainly see Cary Grant as the evil yet sexy Terry Peregrine.

Now throw in some Russian hit-men/shake-down artists, and you have a heck of a mishmash going on.

While this book may not have been my cup of tea, this will be an enjoyable read for anyone into crime noir. However, I can't even see how this is going to turn into a series. At least not if the romance keeps playing out. But what do I know? I'm not the author, only the reader!

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SYNOPSIS: "A tantalizing LA Novel by Legendary American Writer, Craig Nova, for fans of Michael Connelly and James Ellroy.

Quinn Farrell is a modern-day fixer in Los Angeles — he cleans up other people’s messes. Rich people’s messes. For a lot of money. He’s so good that he’s become indispensable to Hollywood moguls and he’s managed to construct a working moral framework so that he can live with himself. That is until a new neighbor moves next door, Rose Marie, who works with terminally ill teens. Against all his survival instincts, Farrell falls in love with Rose Marie and then her uncanny patients, who shine a spotlight into his soul. When a client steps over the line and Farrell is hired to clean up after a reprehensible crime, his carefully constructed ethical house of cards comes crashing down. 

Double Solitaire is the first in a series of LA-based thrillers featuring Quinn Farrell,. As with all Nova’s deeply intuitive fiction, Farrell is an unforgettable living force in a setting that needs no fiction to be any weirder than it is: contemporary Hollywood. "

Review: Can't Say it Went to Plan

Can't Say it Went to Plan by Gabrielle Tozer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars rounded up. It is difficult for me to write this review since I am not the target audience, and I haven't been for at least 40 some-odd years, plus I live on a different continent with different traditions! LOL! I like reading a variety of genres, and this book sounded very interesting. It was a compelling book in its own way; we deal with various serious issues (death, cancer, sexuality, rotten friends and acquaintances, etc.) However, what bothered me the most about this book was that there were too many groups of friends. I kept waiting for them to merge at some point, but that never happened -and this made it a difficult read for me. First, there were too many people to keep straight, too many different relationships. Then the author throws in more people outside the individual and initial groups. Perhaps the YA crowd will see things in this book that I missed. I still remember my high school days and understand a lot of what these groups are going through. But, unfortunately, some of this crap (like cancer and death and backstabbing) never ends even when we become "adults" and should know better. *ARC supplied by the publisher, Harper Collins, the author and ATTL/Edelweiss.

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SYNOPSIS: "From the award-winning author of The Intern, Faking It and Remind Me How This Ends.

School's out.

Forget study, exams and mapping out the future.

For the next seven days, the only homework is partying with friends, making new ones and living in the moment.

There are no parents or curfews - and no rules.

Zoe, Samira and Dahlia are strangers, but they have something in common: their plans for a dream holiday after their final year of school are flipped upside-down before they even arrive at the beach.

From hooking up and heartache, to growing apart, testing friendships and falling in love, anything can go down this week.

PRAISE FOR REMIND ME HOW THIS ENDS

'Bursting with humour and heart, Gabrielle Tozer reflects the pain, pressures and pleasures of life between high school and what comes next.' - Will Kostakis, award-winning author of The First Third and The Sidekicks

'A tale full of heart with characters who - by the final page - feel like friends. Milo Dark is the boy next door I always wanted. Gabrielle Tozer has delivered a story with depth and heart. Milo and Layla have stayed in my head long after the final page.' - Rebecca Sparrow, author of Ask Me Anything and Find Your Tribe

'How refreshing to read a book in which the real love story is the one between a young girl and her mum. It's rare to see grief explored in teen fiction, rarer still to see it handled in such a nuanced way.' - Dannielle Miller, author of Loveability and CEO of Enlighten Education and Goodfellas "

Review: First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill

First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my, what a sweet story. It never occurred to me to wonder how and when Felty and Anna met and fell in love. I'm certainly glad that Ms. Beckstrand took the time to tell us this heart-warming story. And just in time for the Christmas season too!

If you have been following this series as I have, then I really don't need to recap the story for you. But I will say that this story surprised me---a lot. It was an experience to see an Amish man go against his faith yet keep his faith-all for the good of his country and his God.

This quick, sweet read was funny and thought-provoking. All of Ms. Beckstrand's books are funny to a certain degree, but this book stands out. I've loved all of her books, but I'll have to say that this one is going to become one of my favorite 'comfort reads'.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Zebra, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks to all

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SYNOPSIS:

"The endearingly mischievous matchmaking grandparents Anna and Felty Helmuth have helped generations of their Wisconsin community - including many of their own grandchildren - find love over the course of USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Beckstrand's beloved Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series. Now, in this heartwarming prequel set in 1952, Anna and Felty's own love story takes center stage as the young couple spends their first uncertain Christmas together.

Before irrepressible eighty-somethings Anna and Felty Helmuth became Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin's most-beloved matchmakers, they were mismatched young lovers facing seemingly impossible obstacles...

She can't cook, sew, sing, or clean. And no matter how hard young Anna Yoder tries, she'd much rather help people in trouble than be a well-behaved pretty face and properly perfect Amish maidel. So she instantly reaches out to her old schoolmate, Felty Helmuth, when their Amish town ostracizes him for his Korean War army service. He's still the only one who's ever understood Anna--and liked everything from her green Jello carrot salads to her love of books. And this holiday season, she can't help hoping that somehow she and Felty can find a way to be the perfect match...

Felty sensed he was called by Gotte to serve his country, though it went against his community's peaceful ways. Troubled by his wartime experiences, he is resigned to being an outsider avoided by most eligible Amish girls. But lively, intelligent Anna has grown into a warm-hearted generous woman who accepts Felty for who he is. And in the face of family and community opposition, he and Anna will take a leap of faith to prove they are made for each other--and a lifetime of happiness.