reecaspieces

Overview

Semi-retired actress Marissa Morgan has played many parts in her life. But these days, her primary role is mother of two. Since hitting pause on her career, she’s worked hard to give her kids a normal childhood and shield them from the spotlight. When her ex-husband announces his high-profile engagement and a media storm ensues, Marissa and her kids flee Los Angeles for a summer at her recently inherited Poconos lake house.

The long-vacant house needs major TLC, so Marissa hires a home renovation company. But when the project hits a snag and Marissa finds herself sharing space with the crew, including Jesse, the handsome (and vaguely familiar) foreman, her plans for a drama-free summer hit choppy water. As the summer days pass, Marissa starts centering her own needs for the first time in years—and that includes giving in to her mounting attraction to Jesse. Soon, she questions if their fling could become something more.

After an unexpected career opportunity falls into Marissa’s lap, it feels like the stars have finally aligned. But when new complications arise, Marissa and Jesse wonder how they’ll fit into each other’s future. Can the two of them chart a new course together, or is it too late to rewrite the script for a happily ever after?

Review

Since hitting pause on her career, actress Marissa Morgan has worked hard to give her kids a normal childhood and shield them from the spotlight. When her ex-husband announces his high-profile engagement and a media storm ensues, Marissa and her kids flee Los Angeles for a summer at her recently inherited Poconos lake house.

This is a wonderful story that will have you smiling one minute and wanting to throw something at Marissa’s ex the next! But don’t worry…Jesse has her back! I love it when an author gets the characters right. And Lindsay nailed Jesse and Marissa.

This is a charming story with a great setting and brilliant banter. And no, not everything is smooth sailing for these two. But, I loved reading about Marissa becoming her own self and putting her self first for a change.

Need a good romance with great characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.

Didion arrives at the timeworn pink house to find the friends she never thought she’d see again—along with the tensions, attractions, and unfinished business that once bound them together and broke them apart.

What should be a brief weekend of small talk quickly unravels when they wake up and discover…it’s Saturday. Again. And again. And again.

Trapped in a time loop with no end and no instructions, they’re forced to confront the betrayals, breakups, and buried truths that shattered them all those years ago. Because maybe, just maybe, an endless weekend is exactly what they all need to save their own lives.

Review

Well, this is a unique read!

When Babe—the complicated, magnetic matriarch of their teenage summers—dies, four estranged friends return to sleepy Mercy Island, a storm-swept stretch of coastal Georgia, summoned by the reading of her will.

When I started this, I had no idea where this was going to go. I did not read the blurb. I usually avoid doing that because I like to be surprised when I read and this book surprised me that is for sure. And to be honest, if I had read the blurb, I might not have read the book. Who would’ve thought that I would like a Groundhog Day trope.

But there is more to the story besides a time loop. This is about friendship. This is about grief and it is about forgiveness. I will say a lot that happens to Didion, she brings on herself. I’m not gonna lie, I really want to slap her at times. 😂.

Even though this story has some serious themes, it will make you smile and even laugh in places. I loved the contrast the author creates.

Need a story about unfinished business…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

The Longe siblings are really botching their parents’ American Dream.

Sola Longe, eldest daughter, estranged from the family, is secretly back home in Chicago for the first time in a decade. She’s a newly single and recently disgraced influencer trying to quietly put her life back together again. The other three Longe siblings aren’t doing much better.

Anjola is in love with her best friend, who just got engaged to someone else; Karen, a college junior and the baby of the family, is grappling with her sexuality and self-image; and Ola, the golden child with a baby of his own on the way, is questioning his marriage and how to raise a Black son in America.

Sola’s unexpected return sets them on a crash course towards each other, and when the four siblings find themselves together again at their Nigerian immigrant parents’ Thanksgiving table, a decade’s worth of secrets and a lifetime of resentments explode to the fore.

In the wreckage of their fateful reunion, each Longe is forced to reckon with the past, take stock of what really matters, and find a way back to each other. Big-hearted, hilarious, and wise, Leave Your Mess At Home is a poignant exploration of forgiveness, unconditional love, and becoming who you want to be, asking the question: what do we owe to our families, and what do we owe to ourselves?

Review

I will be honest, this had a slow start but I am so glad I read it! It turned out to be a very good read!

Sola Longe has really experienced a great deal in her short life. Her mother threw her out at very young age and then lied about it to her siblings and her father. But she is secretly back in Chicago. She “inconveniently” comes across her dad and this opens some communication with her family. Then tragedy strikes.

This story takes you on an unforgettable journey with the Longe family. And boy, is it full of secrets!

My heart went out to Sola. She was abused in more ways than one. And as a reader, you really want her to achieve, if for any reason, than to prove her mother wrong. And as hard as she has been treated…Sola is the one keeping this family together through all of the drama.

Need a story about loss, family and overcoming your past….THIS IS IT. Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

A sheltered young woman living at the Chateau Marmont falls under the spell of a scandalous, secretive man as all of Hollywood’s glamour swirls around her—a stunning feminist reimagining of Jane Eyre from the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Seamstress.

“A clever, compelling midcentury Gothic . . . a can’t-miss read for the madwoman in all of us.”—Layne Fargo, bestselling author of The Favorites

In 1957, newly orphaned Aria Jones is sent to live with her aunt, a fading star who hides away in Hollywood’s infamous Chateau Marmont. There, two aspiring actresses, Calliope and Flitter, take the grieving Aria under their wing.

But the Marmont isn’t meant for small girls with big hearts, and Aria’s first few nights reveal an insidious secret that continues to haunt her as she grows up in the hotel’s halls, where the bright lights of Hollywood cast even darker shadows. If Aria can just stay invisible and invite no trouble as she saves money, then she can leave the Marmont and live life on her own terms—alone but free.

Her carefully laid plans fall apart when the hotel is bought by Theo Winchester, a reclusive rock star turned unexpected caretaker of his daughter, Adele, and unlike any man Aria has met before. To earn the last bit of money she needs to escape, Aria becomes Adele’s tutor, which brings Aria closer to Theo and ignites a passion she never expected.

Suddenly, Aria finds herself wondering if she still wants to remain invisible—and if inviting trouble is a risk she’s willing to take to pursue what she truly desires.

Review

In 1957, newly orphaned Aria Jones is sent to live with her aunt, a fading star who hides away in Hollywood’s infamous Chateau Marmont. There, two aspiring actresses, Calliope and Flitter, take the grieving Aria under their wing.

This is a book that takes you down Hollywood boulevard and then some! I enjoyed the drama, the misconceptions, and all the secrets!

Aria is such a unique character. Your heart goes out to her but she is not a wilting flower…that is for sure. She has the chateau under her thumb but she is determined to escape her aunt and her circumstances. But love may end up changing all her plans.

I enjoy all Natasha Lester’s books. She really weaves a tale that takes you to a different time and place.

Need a book with old Hollywood feel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

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