reecaspieces

Overview

From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husbandcomes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.

Meet the first Mrs. Ford
Beautiful. Accomplished.
Wealthy beyond imagination.
Married to a much younger man.
And now, she’s dead.

Meet the second Mrs. Ford.
Waitress. Small-town girl.
Married to a man she never forgot,
From a summer romance ten years before.
And now, she’s wealthy beyond imagination.

Who is Connor Ford?
Two women loved him. And knew him as only wives can know.
Set amongst the glittering mansions of the Hamptons,
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a decadent summer thriller about the lives of those who will do anything for love and money. Who is the victim? Who is the villain? And who will be next to die?

Review

Well! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive! This book is all about deception! And it is all over money!

Nina is a wealthy (and I MEAN wealthy!) widow. She marries a much younger man named Conner. Conner signed a prenup. If Nina leaves Conner or she dies, he gets millions. If Conner cheats, he gets nothing.

Enter Tabitha. Tabitha is a waitress from Conner’s youth. They had a fling growing up and Conner has come back to rekindle….or has he? Anyway, he is back in Tabitha’s life. But, is it because he loves her, or is it more sinister.

This story had me on the edge of my seat. Honestly, I had no idea which way it was going to turn. And it did not turn out the way I expected. I have to be careful what I say…it would be very easy to give it away. You MUST read this to find out. Half the time I wanted to slap Conner and the other half I was wondering what he was up to. Or even if he was up to anything.

Grab your copy today! You will not be disappointed!

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

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Overview

Lou Ann Hunter’s mother, Patricia, has always had a passionate nature, which explains why she’s been married and divorced five times and spooned enough male patients to be ousted from three elderly care facilities. She also has Alzheimer’s, which is why she wants to spend the rest of her life surrounded by childhood memories at Sutton Hall, her family’s decrepit plantation home in Louisiana.

Lou Ann, a.k.a. Lulu the Love Guru, has built an empire preaching sex, love, and relationship advice to the women of America—mostly by defying the example her mother has set for her. But with Patricia suddenly in need of a fulltime caretaker, Lou Ann reluctantly agrees to step out of the spotlight and indulge her mother’s wishes, even if it means trading in her Louboutins and Chanel N°5 for boots and mosquito repellant.

Upon her arrival at Sutton Hall, Lou Ann discovers that very little functions as it should—least of all Patricia’s mind. And as she adjusts to this new and inevitably temporary dynamic with the help of a local handyman and a live-in nurse, she is forced to confront the reality that neither her nor her mother’s future is going according to plan.

Heartrending at times and laugh-out-loud funny at others,How Lulu Lost Her Mind is the book for everyone and their mother. Fans of Emily Giffin, Kristan Higgins, and Jill Shalvis won’t be able to forget it.

Review

Lulu has been summoned to the care home where her mother is a soon to be Ex-resident! Once again her mother, Patricia, has been found in a mans room…well…you get the idea. Lulu has to change all her plans and business engagements and take her mother home with her. But, that is not the end of Patricia’s escapades. Patricia wants to go to her family home in Louisiana. And boy…this changes everything in Lulu’s world.

Patricia tickles me to death. She is constantly in trouble. And that never stops her from going at it again! She is a mover and a shaker, well, when her mind allows her to be. And she sure does have Lulu’s number. She can send Lulu into a tail spin.

This is a cute read. I just kept expecting more to happen. The story seems to stall and never really go anywhere. But, it is laugh out loud funny in places. And Patricia just keeps the story moving with her antics.

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

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Overview

Eva Traube Abrams, a semi-retired librarian in Florida, is shelving books one morning when her eyes lock on a photograph in a magazine lying open nearby. She freezes; it’s an image of a book she hasn’t seen in sixty-five years—a book she recognizes as The Book of Lost Names.

The accompanying article discusses the looting of libraries by the Nazis across Europe during World War II—an experience Eva remembers well—and the search to reunite people with the texts taken from them so long ago. The book in the photograph, an eighteenth-century religious text thought to have been taken from France in the waning days of the war, is one of the most fascinating cases. Now housed in Berlin’s Zentral- und Landesbibliothek library, it appears to contain some sort of code, but researchers don’t know where it came from—or what the code means. Only Eva holds the answer—but will she have the strength to revisit old memories and help reunite those lost during the war?

As a graduate student in 1942, Eva was forced to flee Paris after the arrest of her father, a Polish Jew. Finding refuge in a small mountain town in the Free Zone, she begins forging identity documents for Jewish children fleeing to neutral Switzerland. But erasing people comes with a price, and along with a mysterious, handsome forger named Rémy, Eva decides she must find a way to preserve the real names of the children who are too young to remember who they really are. The records they keep in The Book of Lost Names will become even more vital when the resistance cell they work for is betrayed and Rémy disappears.

An engaging and evocative novel reminiscent of The Lost Girls of Paris and The Alice Network, The Book of Lost Names is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of bravery and love in the face of evil.

Review

Eva’s father is taken one night by the Nazis. Eva and her mother were spared because they were helping out a neighbor. They flee Paris and Eva, by chance, begins a life as a forger to help young Jewish children escape the Nazis.

This is a great story based on a real person. Eva is a strong woman during this terrible time period. She is determined to preserve all the real names of the children. Eva has to change the real names to fake ones and she understands when the war is over, someone will be looking for them.

This story did move a little slow for me, especially in the middle. But, I enjoyed the premise of preserving the names of all the children which were saved. And to know people risked their lives to see that happen is a great joy during this time of war. Kristin Harmel did a great job with the history and the intensity surrounding this tale. Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

An irresistible historical debut, THE WOMAN BEFORE WALLIS (MIRA Trade Paperback; July 21, 2020) is set in the glamorous world of British and American royalty in the 1920s, based on the true story of the woman who owned Prince Edward’s heart before introducing him to her dear friend Wallis. Perfect for fans of Netflix’s The Crown and Jennifer Robson’s The Gown.
Before Edward, Prince of Wales famously abdicated his throne for American divorcee Wallis Simpson, he loved another American woman: Thelma Morgan Furness, sister to the first Gloria Vanderbilt. This is her story.

The daughters of an American diplomat, Thelma and Gloria Morgan were stars of New York social scene in the early 1920s, dubbed “the magnificent Morgans.” Both would marry into wealth and privilege beyond their imaginations, Gloria to Reggie Vanderbilt, and Thelma to a viscount. Thelma begins an affair with Edward, the dashing Prince of Wales, that will last nearly five years.
Then, in 1934, Thelma’s life is upended by her sister Gloria’s custody trial — a headline- grabbing drama known as The Matter of Vanderbilt, which dominates global news for months and raises the bar for tabloid sensationalism. Back in New York, sued by members of her late husband’s family on charges of negligence, unfit parenting and homosexuality, Gloria needs her twin’s support more than ever. But as her sister gains international notoriety, Thelma fears that her own fall from grace might not be far behind.

Review

Thelma and her twin sister Gloria are daughters of a diplomat and are a big part of the 1920s social scene. Thelma has an affair with Edward, Prince of Wales. Gloria is the widow of a Vanderbilt and becomes ensnared in the child custody case of the century.

Oh wow! This book is full of history and famous people. I have said this before and I will say it again…I LOVE A BOOK WHICH HAS ME RESEARCHING! And boy…this one had me looking up all kinds of stuff, The Prince of Wales, Gloria Vanderbilt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. I knew a good bit about the people in the novel but there is so much in this story and I just wanted to know more.

Now, let me say, I am giving this 5 stars but it has a few problems. It is a bit wordy in places and it is too long…in my opinion. But, this is a story about a woman in history which I knew very little about. So, I was captivated from the start. This novel is very well researched and wonderfully crafted! And isn’t this cover absolutely gorgeous!

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

Author Bio:

Bryn Turnbull is a writer of historical fiction with a penchant for fountain pens and antique furniture. Equipped with a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from the University of St. Andrews, a Master of Professional Communication from Ryerson University, and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from McGill University, Bryn focuses on finding the stories of women found within the cracks of the historical record. When she’s not writing, Bryn can be found exploring new coffee shops, spending time with her family in cottage country, or traveling. She lives in Toronto, and can generally be found with a book in hand.

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Overview

The story’s message, that people should choose joy even (and especially) in difficult and painful times, seems tailor-made for this moment. A timely, uplifting read about finding joy in the midst of tragedy, filled with quirky characters and comforting warmth.”—Kirkus (starred review)

From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel full of heart and hope.

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living.
But she wasn’t always that way.  
Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen. 
But he wasn’t always that way.  

And Sam knows it. Because she knew him before—at another school, in a different life. Back then, she loved him—but she was invisible. To him. To everyone. Even to herself. She escaped to a new school, a new job, a new chance at living. But when Duncan, of all people, gets hired as the new principal there, it feels like the best thing that could possibly happen to the school—and the worst thing that could possibly happen to Sam. Until the opposite turns out to be true. The lovable Duncan she’d known is now a suit-and-tie wearing, rule-enforcing tough guy so hell-bent on protecting the school that he’s willing to destroy it.

As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love—which is the riskiest move of all.  

With Katherine Center’s sparkling dialogue, unforgettable characters, heart, hope, and humanity, What You Wish Foris the author at her most compelling best.

Review

Duncan has taken over as principal for a private school in Galveston, Texas. Sam knows Duncan from a previous place she worked. She is amazed at the change in him. He has done an about face. He is no longer the carefree, fun teacher she once knew. He is rigid and petrified.

This is not my favorite Katherine Center book. I had a hard time at the start of this read. Duncan did something and it totally turned me off (you have to read it to find out). He did something no principal would have ever done. And if he did…he should have been fired on the spot! So, it took me a little to start to enjoy this book and to get past that. What helped was Sam. She is everything a school librarian should be. She made this book! Then, there is a little boy named Clay. He stole the show at the end of this tale. I adore him! And last, is the setting. Oh Galveston! What an amazing place to set this story. We went several years ago and it is perfect for this read!

This is a story about overcoming weaknesses and allowing yourself to grow, to not be stuck with old hurts and damages. I know….easier said than done. But, Katherine Center pulls you in with good characters and as a reader you just want what’s best for everyone!

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

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