reecaspieces

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.

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Overview

The dead are relentless gossips, or at least these dead are.

An impulsive and heartbroken woman inherits her father’s share of a Tennessee farm that is rich in family secrets and occupied with busybody ghosts in this sweeping family portrait.

At thirty-two, Aubrey Lamb is stumbling through adulthood. An underpaid gig worker in Washington, DC, she’s grieving the end of a serious relationship and the recent loss of her father. When Aubrey learns she has inherited his stake in a sizable Tennessee farm she sees an opportunity to get out of the city—and to erase a mounting pile of debt.

Watching her arrival with great interest are four ghosts—Aubrey’s ancestors, who’ve staked their own claims to the farm and who never hesitate to pass judgment on the mistakes made by the living, whether romantic, financial, or sartorial. As Aubrey reconnects with her living family, another story unfolds in parallel: the history of the land, beginning with its purchase by Thomas, Aubrey’s great-grandfather and one of the first Black landowners in his community. Though Thomas hopes to give his children a homestead on which they could flourish, the land proves to be a burdensome inheritance. Over the years, it turns the Lambs against one another, culminating in a catastrophic tragedy that splinters the family and echoes through the decades. 

Now, as the clock ticks on a potential sale of the farm, the ghosts fear expulsion from the home they’ve made, and Aubrey must weigh the hopes and burdens of her forebears with the very real needs of her future. 

An expansive family saga told with a wry and distinctly modern voice, The Great Wherever is at once grand and intimate; it explores the ways we learn to define ourselves through and against our families, how we carry on after loss, and how the past lives on in all of us.

Review

At thirty-two, Aubrey Lamb is stumbling through adulthood. An underpaid gig worker in Washington, DC, she’s grieving the end of a serious relationship and the recent loss of her father. When Aubrey learns she has inherited his stake in a sizable Tennessee farm she sees an opportunity to get out of the city—and to erase a mounting pile of debt.

This does not happen often. But I enjoyed the present day parts of this book better than the past. The past is a bit of a jumble and I was left with wanting more. But in present day, Aubrey is a character I enjoyed. She is flighty and lord does she make some poor decisions! But for some reason my heart went out to her.

This is my first time reading this author. I will definitely give another one of her books a try, I did enjoy her characters! And I see a lot of promise in her writing.

Need a family saga…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

A sweeping romantic drama with a touch of magical realism. …Cleeton’s ability to pull readers in quickly and deeply through her storytelling makes her a go-to author for an immersive reading experience. …Vivian and Joe’s love is unforgettable, and so is Cleeton’s writing.”* 

When an astronaut is lost in space, his wife relives their epic love as she attempts to unravel what truly happened to him, in this sweeping love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes.

When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. It’s 1968, and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at the door.

Joe Mitchell’s spacecraft has lost contact. He and his fellow astronauts onboard are feared to be dead. It’s his wife Vivian’s worst nightmare come to life, her grief suddenly taking center stage as the nation waits and mourns. In her quiet moments, Vivian relives their memorable story, unable to accept that this is the end to a love that felt as though it was written in the stars.

As the investigation surrounding Joe’s lost spacecraft intensifies and the mishap is written off as an operator error, Vivian is determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover the mystery of what happened in space. When someone starts sending Vivian messages—messages she believes only Joe could send—she begins to wonder if their love is stronger than space and time, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring her husband back to her.

Review

When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. It’s 1968, and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at the door.

Joe and Vivian have a strong bond and a love you will not soon forget. Not only are these two fabulous characters, the ride the author takes you on is out of this world (pun intended 😜).

I love a book that is unique. And nothing is more unique than the space program and all the wives and the astronauts. They went through so much unknown…truly terrifying on so many levels.

That being said, I did struggle with my rating on this one. The ending of this book is a solid 5 star! It is emotional and pulls you in deeper and leaves you wanting more. But the first part of this story is a bit slow. As a fan of this author, I knew she was going to deliver a great ending and boy did she!

Need a story to take you to infinity and beyond….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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