Review: Our Little World

Our Little World by Karen Winn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A coming of age novel set in the 1980's, although sometimes it feels more like the 1950's to this reader. This is also a "what if" novel -what if I did this or what if I did that differently-that sort of thing.

It is an in-depth look at what happens in a small neighborhood/small town when a 4-year-old goes missing at the lake one day. It was also an in-depth look at sisters who are only one year apart in age—jealousies, secrets (some huge ones), crushes, lies, etc. But, of course, the adults have their secrets too.


This neighborhood is fascinating, and all of the characters are fascinating. But unfortunately, I will be one of the few who didn't connect or like any of the MAIN characters. Especially not Borka and Audrina.

I didn't have a sister that close to me in age, so I don't know if this is really the way close in age sisters really act. It just seemed off to me. Oh, some of their antics I could see sisters doing, but some things were just so hurtful that I don't know how they could forgive each other.

There is a bit of a twist and an interesting chapter at the end of one of the sisters describing her adult life. Of course, anything else I could say would be a spoiler.

*ARC supplied by the publisher-Dutton/Penguin Books, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "July 1985. It’s a normal, sweltering New Jersey summer for soon-to-be seventh grader Bee Kocsis. Her thoughts center only on sunny days spent at Deer Chase Lake, evenings chasing fireflies around her cul-de-sac with the neighborhood kids, and Max, the boy who just moved in across the street. That and the burgeoning worry that she’ll never be as special as her younger sister, Audrina, who seems to effortlessly dazzle wherever she goes.

But when Max’s little sister, Sally, goes missing at the lake, Bee’s long-held illusion of stability is shattered in an instant. As the families in her close-knit community turn inward, suspicious, and protective, things in Bee’s own home become increasingly strained, most of all with Audrina, when a shameful secret surfaces. With everything changed, Bee and Audrina’s already-fraught sisterhood is pushed to the limit as they grow up—and apart—in the wake of an innocence lost too soon.

Perfect for readers of Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You, Our Little World is a powerful and lyrical coming-of-age story that examines the complicated bond of sisterhood, the corrosive power of envy, and how the traumas of our youths can shape our identities for a lifetime."

Review: Rules for Engaging the Earl

Rules for Engaging the Earl by Janna MacGregor
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Well, what have we here? the perfect (for most) angsty read of the spring.

We have a loving pair of young best friends, Jonathan, Earl of Sykeston, and Constance Lysander. Jonathan is leaving to become a sharpshooter with the army. He leaves, but promises have been made! Constance is going about her life learning about her father's business.

Constance marries a rake, a rogue, an all-around bad guy, who just so happens to marry two other women after he marries her. Steals her dowery and then drowns in a mud puddle. Oopsie!

Oh, and did I forget to mention that Constance is pregnant?

Since all of this has happened in the last ten years---I doubt that, but the timeline said: "ten years have passed."

Okay, here come my issues. It may be that I'm I've just had too many books dealing with self-recriminations, angst to the nth degree, and a lot of internal dialoguing. I just could not make it through this book.

Constance needs a husband so her baby won't be born out of wedlock ( since her first hubby was married three times at the same time). She sends word to Johathan, and here he comes to save the day-only he doesn't have to. If you read the book, you'll find out why; I don't want to add any more spoilers than I may have done already!

We deal with PTSD, physical disabilities, a frigid heart, and passionate leering thoughts. The lustful thoughts are on both sides of this farce. Of course, you can see the writing on the wall because, well, this is a romance, dammit! Things will go on in their own befuddle way, especially since the Earl has some pretty heavy accusations against him from his time in the army, so of course, there will be an evil, despicable entity thrown in the plot for good measure. Sex will come into the picture and save the day, the Earl will come to adore the baby, things will work out, and they will have a happy ending!

I just couldn't do it; I just couldn't find any compassion or empathy for these characters or sorrow for what Johathan had gotten himself into.

*ARC supplied by publisher and NetGalley.

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Review: When We Let Go

When We Let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm not sure how to rate this book- I hated it, and I loved it! It had a roller-coaster of emotions and feelings - hate, love, insecurity, lies (or not admitting to everything), and the inability to talk things out and make assumptions. This book also had a huge twist at the end. I couldn't connect with anyone in this book, no matter how tragic their lives were. And maybe that was my problem, tragedy abounded, and my stomach clenched with every page I turned. Yes, we did get a twist, and we did get a 'happily ever after,' but was it enough for me? Well, I did finish the book, so that rates a star. I did keep turning the pages to see just how mean, naive, tragic, bitchy, etc . the characters were going to be with each other. So this rates another star. Everyone transformed into the perfect people - I had to stretch my imagination for that, but I'll give it another half a star. Definitely an emotional and deep women's read. -A half star for being true So this is what I have two whole stars, two half stars. A three-star read, although if I were being true to myself, I would rate it 2 stars because it is an overly emotional and over-wrought beach read. So I'm going to compromise since all of these people who loved this book can't all be wrong! 2.5 stars rounded down.

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SYNOPSIS: "A moving novel of family and forgiveness and of hope and healing by Rochelle B. Weinstein, the USA Today bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends.

When Avery Beckett is proposed to by Jude Masters, a widowed father and the man she loves, it should be a time of great joy. Instead, Avery is on edge. She’s wary of the idea of family, doubtful of happy endings, and too afraid to take the leap. It’s the kind of fear that comes from having secrets.

Before Avery commits to a new life, she must reconcile with the one she left behind.

When Avery returns to her childhood farm in the North Carolina mountains, she’s surprised to be saddled with a companion: Jude’s teenage daughter, Elle, who’s grappling with the loss of her mother and the complicated emotions of first love. On a path of mending wounds and breaking down walls, Avery and Elle form an unexpected alliance. It’s giving them the courage to move forward. And for Avery, everything she needs to confront the past.

An emotional tale of mothers and daughters, loss and acceptance, When We Let Go is about the lessons that come from heartbreak and the healing it takes to embrace the joy of a second chance."

Review: Bear Witness

Bear Witness by Lark O. Jensen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

1.5 Stars Rounded Up.

For an author who has published over 50 books, I expected more...a lot more.

This was supposed to be a cozy mystery but what we get is a book that relies on repetition (perhaps to plump the word count?) and a book that forces you to suspend your disbelief and not in a good way. We get elaborate 'talks' about the Alaskan wildlife. I have to admit the wildlife was the same for every cruise, which makes for an exciting cruise but a boring book. We also get in an in-depth look at Stacie and the crew's wardrobe, Stacie's apartment decor, Stacie's dog Sacha; and for the life of me, I can not see how it is possible to have a dog on a sightseeing cruise like this, though I can see why the author did it-as most of her previous books have something to do with dogs!

What selfrespecting policeman or police department would allow a civilian into the case is beyond me, but maybe things are different in Alaska?

I could see the murderer coming a mile away but I have to admit I did not see one part of the finale coming-although I might have done the same thing if I spent time with the top tour guide and expert on wildlife.

*ARC Supplied by the publisher and NetGalley.

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Review: The Book Woman's Daughter

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, and if you have the time, I would highly recommend that you read this book first before reading The Book Woman's Daughter. You don't NEED to, but it will help better understand some of what happens during this novel.  Also, if you have a Kindle and Kindle Unlimited, I would like to let you know that The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is free to borrow. 

Now the reason for my long-winded start, The Book Woman's Daughter was fabulous. Set in Eastern Kentucky during the early 1950's when extreme prejudice was going strong, this book tells the story of one of the last 'Blue' people out there. These people have methemoglobinemia, which literally turned their skin blue. Honey is not totally blue, just her hands and feet, but that is enough to mark her.  In Kentucky, as well as other places, they have laws that forbid people from marrying outside of their color, and this is how the book starts out with Honey's parents being arrested for breaking the miscegenation laws. Honey is hiding, in a way, from Social Services, who threaten to put her in a "working camp" (prison) until she is 21. She is 16 when the book starts.

This story is actually a bit more about how women were treated in this time and place and the continuation of the of the Kentucky Pack  Horse Librarians, which was started in the 1930's as a 

WPA project. This is a story of a young woman seeking emancipation. This is a story of women and girls overcoming antiquated laws, horrid behavior from the government and the locals, men, the Kentucky Coal Miners, and of course, books and the love of reading.

I can't seem to give a better review than this-I am so in awe of this dualogy that all I can do is give it 5 Stars and recommend the heck out of it. And if you do read this, make sure to view the pictures at the end of the book and read Ms. Richardson's reasons for writing this book and all about the author's research!

*ARC was supplied for early review by the publisher SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, The author, and NetGalley. Thank you.

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SYNOPSIS: "Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Mary Angeline Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free.

In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good.

Picking up her mother’s old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn’t need anyone telling her how to survive, but the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren’t as keen to let a woman pave her own way. If Honey wants to bring the freedom that books provide to the families who need it most, she’s going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world."

Review: Summer Island

Summer Island by Shelley Noble

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a sweet novel about three different generations of women coming to grips with lives changes. Divorce, loss of job and fiance, death all take apart in this fast read novel. This was a slower-paced novel than I had hoped for, and there was no romance. As one reviewer has said, this book touched on many subjects as far as the women went but didn't dig much deeper than the surface. We did get extended looks at a water reclamation project and tiny homes for veterans. While these were interesting subjects, they didn't do much to further the storyline. As far as a beach read, goes-this may not be the book for you if you are looking forward to romance, sex, or back-stabbing and mystery. One thing I am wondering about, and the author didn't mention, was that Ty seemed to have some slight, very slight Autism issues. I wonder if he was meant to? I was satisfied enough with this book to finish it. *ARC provided for review by the publisher Avon Books, the author, and NetGalley. SYNOPSIS: " New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble pens a heartwarming story of a mother-daughter road trip to the beach and to self-discovery. When reporter Phoebe Adams loses her job and her fiancé on the same day, it never occurs to her that she'll also have to support her mother, Ruth, through her divorce from Phoebe's father after thirty-five years of marriage. They both need a haven, and Phoebe knows just the place--Summer Island, where Grandma Alice still rules the roost from the big New England beach house Phoebe and Ruth once called home. But "home" has changed. There's a trendy new look downtown. Large beach houses are replacing the old. The Harken house next door is in disrepair. Phoebe's plan for a peaceful retreat is quickly hijacked when globe-trotting Great Aunt Vera makes an unannounced pit stop. With Vera around, no one can stay morose for long, not even Lars, the grumpy widower next door, or his son Ty, formerly geeky middle child all grown up into a handsome and enigmatic man. Soon they're all enjoying things they used to do and discovering new ones. Each adventure opens a part of themselves they've neglected for too long and brings them closer together. But when an accident threatens to destroy the tenuous tie between them, Phoebe realizes how fragile life can be, and that she has some serious choices to make about her own life. It will take the support of her newly awakened family and the magic of Summer Island for Phoebe to embrace the challenge of an unexpected future and to trust her own heart."

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Review: Tear Down the Throne

Tear Down the Throne by Jennifer Estep

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

As I said about the first book in this series/trilogy (I have no clue which it will be, but my money is on trilogy), this reads more like a book for teens and pre-teens who are a bit more sophisticated. There is swearing, sexual innuendo, and one full-on sex scene. Yes, this is an adult novel, but it just doesn't read that way. Gemma Ripley - Princess - is just too naive and whiney to be and just plain acts like a child throughout most of this book.

The first half of this book is mainly a re-hashing of the first novel. The second half of this book does get better, and Gemma does grow. She doesn't grow as much as I would have liked, but I am not the author, and I don't know what's coming with the next novel. There is plenty of excitement, bloodshed, and love in the second half of the story to keep one entertained-that is, if you can get through the bland first half.

*ARC proved by the publisher Harper Voyager, the author Jennifer Estep, and NetGalley.


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SYNOPSIS:" Bestselling author Jennifer Estep continues her Gargoyle Queen epic fantasy series where magic reigns, alliances are tested, and a dangerous attraction could tear down a throne. . .

Crown princess. Clever spy. Powerful mind magier. Gemma Ripley of Andvari is all those things--and determined to stop an enemy from using magical tearstone weapons to conquer her kingdom.

Gemma's quest for answers leads her to a trade Summit between the various kingdoms. Among the other royals in attendance is Queen Maeven Morricone of Morta and her son, Prince Leonidas--Gemma's charming and dangerous nemesis.

Gemma knows that Maeven always has a long game in motion, and sure enough, the cunning queen invokes an arcane tradition that threatens the fragile truce between Andvari and the other kingdoms. Despite her best intentions, Gemma once again finds herself thrown together with Leo and battling her growing feelings for the enemy prince.

When a series of deadly attacks shatters the Summit's peaceful negotiations, Gemma realizes that someone wants to tear the royals down from their thrones--and that this enemy just might succeed."

Review: Little Souls

Little Souls by Sandra Dallas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is not often that you will see me handing out 5-star reviews or recommending books. Well, this is one book that I must do both for.

This is an amazing book, but you must be prepared for it delves into many issues we are dealing with today, and they are not pretty.

Trigger Warnings include but are not limited to-Covid/Spanish flu, incest, rape, murder, war, sexism, and so much heartache that I don't know how I stood it. But I did because this book just had to have had a happy ending. It just ha to-and it did.

You do need to do a little suspension of disbelief with Little Souls because it was difficult for me to grasp how much could go wrong and did. How many lives were lost. It just boggled my mind. However, the author handles this all with aplomb and has you believing every word and action the characters make/take.

This book reminds me of another author who tackled a similar look at what was happening in America during this same period and pandemic. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you are in luck if you choose to read another book similar to this one. The Orphan Collector

This book, Little Souls, is superior, though.

This was a fantastic historical fiction novel, and I will surely be visiting my library to read more written by Sandra Dallas.

*ARC supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Press, the author Sandra Dallas, and NetGalley. Many thanks.

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SYNOPSIS: "Sandra Dallas's Little Souls is a gripping tale of sisterhood, loyalty, and secrets set in Denver amid America’s last deadly flu pandemic.

Colorado, 1918. World War I is raging overseas, but it’s the home front battling for survival. With the Spanish Flu rampant, Denver’s schools are converted into hospitals, churches and funeral homes are closed, and horse-drawn wagons collect corpses left in the street. Sisters Helen and Lutie have moved to Denver from Iowa after their parents’ deaths. Helen, a nurse, and Lutie, a carefree advertising designer at a fashionable women’s store share a small, neat house, and each finds a local beau—for Helen a doctor, for Lutie a young student who soon enlists. They make a modest income from a rental apartment in the basement. When their tenant dies from the flu, the sisters are thrust into caring for the woman’s small daughter, Dorothy. Soon after, Lutie comes home from work and discovers a dead man on their kitchen floor and Helen standing above the body, an icepick in hand. She has no doubt Helen killed the man—Dorothy’s father—in self-defense, but she knows that will be hard to prove. They decide to leave the body in the street, hoping to disguise it as a flu victim.

Meanwhile Lutie also worries about her fiancé “over there.” As it happens, his wealthy mother harbors a secret of her own and helps the sisters as the danger deepens, from both the murder investigation and the outbreak.

Set against the backdrop of an epidemic that feels all too familiar, Little Souls is a compelling tale of sisterhood and of the sacrifices people make to protect those they love most"

Review: Sari, Not Sari

Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Review to come later today-I just woke up and haven't even finished one cup of coffee!!! So I couldn't possibly write a coherent review yet!

Now that I have fortified myself with enough coffee to sink a battleship, I can safely say that this was a very cute romance/finding yourself novel. I, too, was brought up like Manny was, and that was to embrace being American with my Italian/Hungarian sides being secondary. I knew about the foods but very little about the traditions of either family. So I can easily see myself jumping at the chance that Manny did.

Sammy was a tad more difficult to get to know, but eventually, he grew on me, and so did his whole family. I actually wish this book had spent less time on discussing Manny's company (it was the entire first quarter of the book---and let me tell you, I was amazed to find out such companies exist! I am soooo in the dark ages!) and more time on Manny learning about her heritage.

All in all, a quick, fun, and flirty novel, perfect for the beach.

*ARC supplied by Simon and Schuster, NetGalley, and the author. My thanks

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SYNOPSIS:"This delightful debut rom-com follows the adventures of a woman trying to connect with her South Asian roots and introduces readers to a memorable cast of characters in a veritable feast of food, family traditions, and fun.

Manny Dogra is the beautiful young CEO of Breakup, a highly successful company that helps people manage their relationship breakups. As preoccupied as she is with her business, she’s also planning her wedding to handsome architect Adam Jamieson while dealing with the loss of her beloved parents.

For reasons Manny has never understood, her mother and father, who were both born in India, always wanted her to become an “All-American” girl. So that’s what she did. She knows next to nothing about her South Asian heritage, and that’s never been a problem—until her parents are no longer around, and an image of Manny that’s been Photoshopped to make her skin look more white appears on a major magazine cover. Suddenly, the woman who built an empire encouraging people to be true to themselves is having her own identity crisis.

But when an irritating client named Sammy Patel approaches Manny with an odd breakup request, the perfect solution presents itself: If they both agree to certain terms, he’ll give her a crash course in being “Indian” at his brother’s wedding.

What follows is days of dancing and dal, masala and mehndi as Manny meets the lovable, if endlessly interfering, aunties and uncles of the Patel family, and, along the way, discovers much more than she could ever have anticipated."

Review: The Wolf

The Wolf by J.R. Ward
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I must say that if it weren't for the fact that the publisher made a mistake by sending me this ARC instead of Lover Arisen I would not have ever read it. I'm not sorry I did read it. It was quite the story except for the love side of it. To fast-too, furious-too dangerous.

Frankly, though, I would not have spent $15.00 on an off-shoot of the Brotherhood series. But now that I've read it I may see if my library has the first book and if they will be carrying the third.

I do love her new Wolven [book:Claimed|55711656] [bookcover:Claimed|55711656] series (or at least the first book of it), so I want to read more about the wolves/vampire characters. This book gave me a better understanding of this new species.

My thanks to the publisher for making this mistake!

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Review: Mad for a Mate

Mad for a Mate by MaryJanice Davidson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4

I have already read this book twice-once for my pleasure, and then I re-read the series (three books so far) to review this one with everything fresh in my mind.

This should have been a solid 4.5/5 book for me, but Verity (the female protagonist) just annoyed me in the beginning with all her "just kidding" stuff. But I did eventually warm up to her.

If you have read the first two books, you will know just how this book will go.

Bear shifter Magnus Berne meets someone unusual (in this case, it's a Squib named Verity Lane).
The shifter has been depressed for a long time and thinks he will never find love.

The Squib? The same as the shifter-angsty about her future, had a difficult childhood (not as complicated as most of the others in this series, though) and sort of resents what she is.
These two will eventually come together (in more ways than one!) when they are forced to investigate the murder of one of Verity's friends from a squib club she belongs to. This book will also connect with the past two books and the mystery that was started with the first book.

I loved seeing all the characters from the first two books (although I did miss Pat), the mystery was fascinating, and the romance was steamy, but not porn steamy!

*I received this book as an ARC but I have already preordered another copy.

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SYNOPSIS:"Beloved and bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with a hilarious and heartfelt shifter romance featuring:A delightful cast of shifters and supernatural creaturesSide-splitting hijinks that'll make you snort-laughA slow-burn romance that's still sexy as hellVerity Lane might be a Shifter who can't shift (known as a "squib")—but woe betide anyone who tries to tell her who she is or what she's capable of. She's a proud member of a club for squibs out to prove themselves by participating in dangerous stunts. Which is probably how she ended up on this strange island…

Bear shifter Magnus Berne wants two things: to connect with his motherless goddaughter, and to find out who keeps dumping dead bodies on his property. When he discovers Verity on his island, he's determined to get some answers—but it's clear that whoever has been killing squibs is just as resolved to keep it quiet. And now that Verity is in the crosshairs, they'll have to move quickly to stay ahead, stay alive, and stay together.
You won't want to miss the rollicking series readers are raving about!
Praise for A Wolf After My Own Heart:
"Hilarious, quirky, unique, and fun."—CHRISTINE FEEHAN, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Super cute…sure to keep you flipping pages."—TERRY SPEAR, USA Today bestselling author
"A droolworthy hero and high-stakes…a winner!"—PAIGE TYLER, New York Times bestselling author

Review: The Mayfair Bookshop

The Mayfair Bookshop by Eliza Knight

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was an interesting and saddening look into the life of Nancy Mitford, yes, THAT Nancy Mitford Nancy Mitford: A Biography. This book is written in a dual-narrative. It is mostly told by Nancy herself; a slightly fictional one I assume, told during the 30's to the 40's, and a side story told during this century, by Lucy St. Clair a visitor to London and working in the same bookshop that Nancy and her writer friends used as a salon.

Reading this book encouraged me to read some more about the fantastical life of Nancy and her family. To have two sisters and a Mother that were Nazi sympathizers, a husband who couldn't keep it in his pants, and a suicide wish...well, what a life. But I digress.

I really did like this book, and I would have loved this book had it not had the second storyline. However, this storyline felt like it was almost thrown in as an afterthought, and I felt that it did not mesh well with the rest of the book.

*ARC provided by HarperCollins, The author, and NetGalley.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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SYNOPSIS: "USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight brings together a brilliant dual-narrative story about Nancy Mitford—one of 1930s London’s hottest socialites, authors, and a member of the scandalous Mitford Sisters—and a modern American desperate for change, connected through time by a little London bookshop.

1938: She was one of the six sparkling Mitford sisters, known for her stinging quips, stylish dress, and bright green eyes. But Nancy Mitford’s seemingly dazzling life was really one of turmoil: with a perpetually unfaithful and broke husband, two Nazi sympathizer sisters, and her hopes of motherhood dashed forever. With war imminent, Nancy finds respite by taking a job at the Heywood Hill Bookshop in Mayfair, hoping to make ends meet, and discovers a new life.

Present Day: When book curator Lucy St. Clair lands a gig working at Heywood Hill she can’t get on the plane fast enough. Not only can she start the healing process from the loss of her mother, it’s a dream come true to set foot in the legendary store. Doubly exciting: she brings with her a first edition of Nancy’s work, one with a somewhat mysterious inscription from the author. Soon, she discovers her life and Nancy’s are intertwined, and it all comes back to the little London bookshop—a place that changes the lives of two women from different eras in the most surprising ways."

Review: The Patron Saint of Second Chances

The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm so disappointed. I did not find this book to be “hilariously funny and beautifully written” as suggested in the synopsis. I found this to be a difficult book to get into. The usage of "Signor" became irritating, and the lies became cringeworthy.

It was a fast book to read so that's a plus. I imagine that a lot of people are going to adore this complicated novel-I'm just not one of them.

*ARC supplied by NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "The self-appointed mayor of a tiny Italian village is determined to save his hometown no matter the cost in this charming, hilarious, and heartwarming debut novel.

Vacuum repairman and self-appointed mayor of Prometto, Italy (population 212) Signor Speranza has a problem: unless he can come up with 70,000 euros to fix the town’s pipes, the water commission will shut off the water to the village and all its residents will be forced to disperse. So in a bid to boost tourism—and revenue—he spreads a harmless rumor that movie star Dante Rinaldi will be filming his next project nearby.

Unfortunately, the plan works a little too well, and soon everyone in town wants to be a part of the fictional film—the village butcher will throw in some money if Speranza can find roles for his fifteen enormous sons, Speranza’s wistfully adrift daughter reveals an unexpected interest in stage makeup, and his hapless assistant Smilzo volunteers a screenplay that’s not so secretly based on his undying love for the film’s leading lady. To his surprise—and considerable consternation, Speranza realizes that the only way to keep up the ruse is to make the movie for real.

As the entire town becomes involved (even the village priest invests!) Signor Speranza starts to think he might be able to pull this off. But what happens when Dante Rinaldi doesn’t show up? Or worse, what if he does?

A “hilariously funny and beautifully written” (Julia Claiborne Johnson, author of Better Luck Next Time) novel about the power of community, The Patron Saint of Second Chances is perfect for fans of Fredrik Backman and Maria Semple"

Review: Marrying the Ketchups

Marrying the Ketchups by Jennifer Close
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was not incredibly fabulous. However, it was readable, and even though a lot of it made me very angry and I was ready to give up at 50%, I kept reading, thinking there would be a great ending since so many people loved this book. I was wrong.

Politics and being woke were brought up just too many times to seem natural. In my opinion, hatred on either side of the political parties shouldn't be so extreme in a book that is supposed to be fun to read.

Most of the characters were supposed to be adults. But, unfortunately, they didn't act that way, and they didn't grow very much.

*ARC provided by Netgalley, the publisher Knopf/Penguin Random House, and the author.

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Review: The Homewreckers

The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this as an ARC, and I will do an immediate re-read on this. I sincerely hope that the editors also re-read and do more research before printing and publication. There is a misrepresented quote in here that just burns my grits! This book deserves a thoughtful review, not just a squee-girl review. (which I am when it comes time to these sorts of books and this particular author) .

Upon re-reading this novel, I found that I didn't appreciate it as much as I did the first time I read it. Yes, this book IS a good beach read, but the mystery takes precedence over the main narrative of rehabbing this house and the romance. While in keeping with the rest of the more recent books by Mary Kay Andrews, I found that the mystery was a little too complicated (for me) and introduced us to too many secondary and tertiary characters.

It was a good beach read, with some good humor, a romance, an interesting in-depth look at buying and rehabbing old properties, DIY shows (or shows of that ilk), with a fine, highly complex mystery. It was just not as light as I expected from her other summer books for me.

*ARC supplied by St. Martin's Press, the author, and NetGalley. This books publishing date is set for  May 03, 2022

Description

"Summer begins with Mary Kay Andrews, in this delightful summer read about flipping houses, and finding true love.

Hattie Kavanaugh went to work restoring homes for Kavanaugh & Son Restorations at eighteen, married the boss’s son at twenty, and became a widow at twenty-five. Now, she’s passionate about her work, but that’s the only passion in her life. “Never love something that can’t love you back,” is advice her father-in-law gives her, but Hattie doesn’t follow it and falls head-over-heels for a money pit of a house. She’s determined to make it work, but disaster after disaster occurs, and Hattie’s dream might cost Kavanaugh & Son their livelihood. Hattie needs money, and fast.

When a slick Hollywood producer shows up in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: star in a beach house renovation reality show called The Homewreckers, cast against a male lead who may be a love interest, or may be the ultimate antagonist. Soon, there’s more at stake than bad pipes and dry rot: during the demolition, evidence comes to light that points to the mysterious disappearance of a young wife and mother years before.

With a burned out detective investigating the case, an arsonist on the loose, two men playing with her emotions, and layers upon layers of vintage wallpaper causing havoc, it's a question of who will flip, who will flop, and if Hattie will ever get her happily-ever-after."

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