Sasha and Leah are living the good life. They have money, good looks, great boyfriends, loving families, supportive friends, good grades, and, most importantly, they have each other. They do everything together, from playing sports to planning for their big prom night, and they share a bond of trust and loyalty almost as if they were sisters. However, beneath the surface neither their lives nor their friendship are as untroubled as they seem. When a friend from Sasha’s past becomes the victim of police brutality, their friendship is put to the test as both girls are forced to confront their values and what it means to be privileged in American society.
About the Author
Kimberley B. Jones is a professional early childhood educator. She was born in the small town of Saint George, South Carolina, on September 12, 1982. She graduated from Woodland High School in 2000, Benedict College in 2004 with B.S., Child & Family Development, and Ashford University in 2013 with a Masters in Early Childhood Education. After receiving her education and being a military spouse, she held several jobs as a preschool teacher and a preschool director, but she wanted to use her education by writing children’s books. She wrote her first book in college for a children’s literature course. She has since self-published several books that can be found on Amazon. Currently, she is branching off into writing fiction YA, NA, and A novels on issues in society. She loves writing and would change it for nothing in this world. She is now representing Rhetoric Askew, a great publishing company. Kimberley is the author of “Our Friendship Matters,” soon to be released and so much more coming soon.
THAT SUMMER IN MAINE By Brianna Wolfson On Sale: June 23, 2020 MIRA CONTEMPORARY FICTION/Sisters/Family/WomensFriendship/MothersandDaughters 978-0778351238; 0778351238 $16.99 USD 320 pages
About the Book A novel about mothers and daughters, about taking chances, about exploding secrets and testing the boundaries of family Years ago, during a certain summer in Maine, two young women, unaware of each other, met a charismatic man at a craft fair and each had a brief affair with him. For Jane it was a chance to bury her recent pain in raw passion and redirect her life. For Susie it was a fling that gave her troubled marriage a way forward. Now, sixteen years later, the family lives these women have made are suddenly upended when their teenage girls meet as strangers on social media. They concoct a plan to spend the summer in Maine with the man who is their biological father. Their determination puts them on a collision course with their mothers, who must finally meet and acknowledge their shared past and join forces as they risk losing their only daughters to a man they barely know.
All mothers wish a perfect love story upon their daughters. The wish that their daughters will grow up wrapped in love and that one day they will go on to wrap others in love. They wish for their love to be simple and pure and uncomplicated.
As a single mother, Jane did everything she could to uphold that perfect love for her daughter, Hazel. At least, she’d tried.
Today, Jane gave birth to twin boys with a man she had recently fallen in love with and married. In the postbirthing haze, Jane could taste the salt on her upper lip where her sweat was now dried. The fiery heat deep within her body was starting to subside and her spine still felt sore and twisted. Jane held one twin against her bare chest while the other was tucked into the crease of her husband Cam’s arm. Jane motioned for him to come closer and embrace the start of their family. “I love you,” she said and kissed him and then the two babies gently. She looked up to see if she could find her daughter. The back of Hazel’s shoulder was just visible in the doorway as she stood cross-armed, looking away from the room. Hazel, at fourteen years old, looked both young and old for her age all at once standing there.
“Come in, honey, and meet your brothers,” Jane said gently.
Hazel turned around slowly, her black hair like a veil in front of her eyes. She shuffled toward her mother without lifting her feet and leaned over her bed. Jane brought her free arm up toward Hazel’s face and tucked her daughter’s hair behind her ear, revealing her eyes of different colors. Her lashes were damp, and her eyes—one green and one hazel—were clear and dewy. A mother can always tell when her child has been crying. Jane leaned over to kiss Hazel’s cheek, but her sudden movement startled her newborn, who let out a brief wail that ended when Jane returned her body to its original position.
Hazel’s shoulders fell. Hazel wanted that kiss. Perhaps needed it.
“Meet your brother Griffin,” Jane whispered to Hazel, tilting her arm ever so slightly so that her daughter could see her brother’s face. “And that’s Trevor over there.” Cam took a few steps toward Hazel and smiled with pride.
“I thought we were going to name him August,” Hazel challenged.
Jane chuckled.
“Last-minute change. Give them both a big kiss, big sis.”
Hazel rolled her eyes and placed her lips on each baby and then huffed out of the room without another word. To Jane, her family finally felt full. But she could tell that for Hazel, something had emptied.
In her happiness of sharing this moment with Cam and welcoming her two new healthy babies, Jane had neglected to consider the impact on Hazel’s perfect love story. Cam came over and kissed her forehead.
“I love this family,” he said.
Jane let that sink in. Deep. And then wondered if he was including Hazel in his definition of family. And couldn’t deny a shift within her own heart. It had expanded and made room for two more babies. And these two new sons deserved their own pure, simple, uncomplicated love story. And Jane would give it to them wholeheartedly. She felt resolute and focused about it.
Indeed, she forgot to wonder what it would mean for Hazel’s happiness. For her sense of family and her sense of self.
Return to the cozy and delightful town of Winsome, where two people discover the grace of letting go and the joy found in unexpected change.
After fleeing her hometown three years earlier, Alyssa Harrison never planned to return. Then the Silicon Valley start-up she worked for collapsed and turned her world upside down. She is broke, under FBI investigation, and without a place to go. Having exhausted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup and move on as quickly as possible. Yet, as friends and family welcome her back, Alyssa begins to see a place for herself in this small Midwestern community.
Jeremy Mitchell moved from Seattle to Winsome to be near his daughter and to open the coffee shop he’s been dreaming of for years. Problem is, the business is bleeding money—and he’s not quite sure why. When he meets Alyssa, he senses an immediate connection, but what he needs most is someone to help him save his floundering business. After asking for her help, he wonders if something might grow between them—but forces beyond their control soon complicate their already complex lives, and the future they both hoped for is not at all what they anticipated.
With the help of Winsome’s small-town charm and quirky residents, Alyssa and Jeremy discover the beauty and romance of second chances.
Review
Alyssa Harrison has come home with her tail between her legs. She has no job, no money and believe it or not, with only the clothes on her back. This is NOT what she had planned at this point in her life.
Jeremy has come to Winsome to open a coffee shop and be nearer to his daughter. However, the coffee shop has not turned out as well as he expected. Plus, there is a twist where his daughter is concerned.
There is a good deal of friction in this novel and BOY, this really keeps you reading and rooting for these special characters. Alyssa’s situation is unique and involves the FBI. Jeremy gets arrested and it goes viral on Instagram. And the twists just keep coming!
What a sweet, enjoyable read. As most of you know…I am not a huge fan of Christian Fiction. I find it overly dramatic and pushy. I had no idea this was Christian Fiction till I finished this book. It has flawed characters, romance and life circumstances. I did not feel any judgement or preaching…it was just and all around good, wholesome read! Plus, throw in some literature references and I am HOOKED. I have never read this author before, but I have already added her books to my tumbling TBR list!
If you need a quick, compelling read for vacation, THIS IS IT!
I received this novel from SparkPoint Studios for a honest review.
Katherine Reay is the national bestselling and award-winning author of Dear Mr. Knightley, Lizzy and Jane, The Brontë Plot, A Portrait of Emily Price, The Austen Escape, and The Printed Letter Bookshop. All Katherine’s novels are love letters to books, contemporary character-driven stories with a bit of classical flair that examine the past as a way to find one’s best way forward. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and is a wife, mother, former marketer, and avid chocolate consumer. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine now happily resides outside Chicago, IL. You can read more about her at www.katherinereay.com.
Praise for Of Literature and Lattes:
· “The subplot about Alyssa and her mother is deeply emotional, and the colorful townsfolk make for a memorable supporting cast. The love story is sweet, but it’s the close-knit small-town setting that wins the day.” —Publishers Weekly
· “In her ode to small towns and second chances, Katherine Reay writes with affection and insight about the finer things in life.” —Karen Dukess, author of The Last Book Party
· “Reay has penned another poignant tale set in Winsome, Illinois, weaving truth, forgiveness, and beauty into a touching, multilayered, yet totally cozy story. You’ll root for these characters and will be sad to leave this charming town.” —Lauren Denton, bestselling author ofThe Hideaway and Glory Road
SEDUCED BY A STEELE by Brenda Jackson (Harlequin Desire, April 2020) WYOMING SPECIAL DELIVERY by Melissa Senate (Harlequin Special Edition, April 2020) THE FLAPPER’S FAKE FIANCé by Lauri Robinson (Harlequin Historical, April 2020) COPYCAT KILLER by Laura Scott (Love Inspired Suspense, April 2020) AN AMISH EASTER WISH by Jo Ann Brown (Love Inspired, April 2020) HOSTILE PURSUIT by Juno Rushdan (Harlequin Intrigue, April 2020) 48 HOUR LOCKDOWN by Carla Cassidy (Harlequin Intrigue, April 2020) THE INNOCENT’S FORGOTTEN WEDDING by Lynne Graham (Harlequin Presents, April 2020) SECRET HEIR SEDUCTION by Reese Ryan (Harlequin Desire, March 2020) THE AMISH TEACHER’S DILEMMA by Patricia Davids (Love Inspired, March 2020) BEFORE HE VANISHED by Debra Webb (Harlequin Intrigue, March 2020) TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION by Jayci Lee (Harlequin Desire, February 2020) BLAME IT ON THE BILLIONAIRE by Naima Simone (Harlequin Desire, February 2020) HER HOMECOMING WISH by Jo McNally (Harlequin Special Edition, February 2020) MOUNTAIN HOSTAGE by Hope White (Love Inspired Suspense, February 2020) HER TWIN BABY SECRET by Therese Beharrie (Harlequin Romance, February 2020) WITNESS PROTECTION WIDOW by Debra Webb (Harlequin Intrigue, February 2020)
Suzy Spitfire and the Snake Eyes of Venus By Joe Canzano Genre: Science Fantasy
About the Book
When outlaw Suzy Spitfire flies to Venus in search of a vicious serial killer, she’s looking for the road to redemption—but instead, she quickly becomes involved in a gang war, a revolution, and a desperate attempt to protect a young girl from a violent future.
Join Suzy Spitfire and her friends for another wild ride through the solar system!
*This book contains profanity.
About the Author
Joe Canzano is a writer and musician who lives in New Jersey, U.S.A. His latest novel is called “Suzy Spitfire and the Snake Eyes of Venus,” an action-packed science fantasy with a dose of dark humor. For more information about Joe, please visit http://www.happyjoe.net.
Suzy Spitfire ran a slender finger through her coppery hair and tried to smile. With a little luck, she looked like all the other peaceful pedestrians strolling through downtown Atlanta. It was a hot summer night, and the hover-cars roared by, and it would be nice to blend in with the waves of smiley people on the busy sidewalks—but no, they all seemed so distant. They’re all part of a big pretty picture, she thought, and I’m part of something else. Of course, none of them were wanted fugitives throughout the Nine Nations of Earth, not to mention the rest of the solar system. None of them were being followed by an ugly guy with bad intentions. Suzy squinted at the carnival scene on the street but kept smiling. She sauntered past a few touristy bars, and a pounding dance club, and a writhing three-dimensional advertisement for cosmetic body sculpting. The light from every window was blasting her in the face like a firing squad. Her skin felt fried and her eyeballs ached. I’ve got no regrets, she thought—but it would be nice to have fewer people chasing me, or at least someone more attractive. She glanced at a reflection in a flashing window. Yeah, the ugly dude was still back there. Then she saw the slick showroom of an air taxi service offering fast rides to Daytona Beach. For one second, her smile became real as she recalled her sister, walking on a different beach so long ago. She used to follow me, too, Suzy thought. But her intentions had been sweet. Her mind filled with a picture of two little girls. Trish was four years younger, giggling as she followed Suzy around in the surf with a pail and shovel. She was looking for seashells and building a sand castle, and crying as it collapsed beneath a diabolical wave. Suzy was laughing as usual, telling Trish it was no big deal, they could build another one tomorrow so don’t worry about it. But Trish was always worried. It was just her nature. Even in old photos, at the age of three, she had a worried look on her face—like she knew what was coming. But I didn’t know, Suzy thought. And now Trish was gone, and she was on the run—and she was going to shoot this fucker who was following her. Because that’s my nature. She dropped her hand down near the Series 7 pulse pistol strapped to her thigh, right under her jet-black skirt. Was she proud of her nature? Not always. And was this guy a cop or something worse? And did it matter? A cop would be part of a team, harder to evade. A cop would also have to follow certain procedures, at least out here on an open street. A bounty hunter, on the other hand, would be more inclined to do something desperate and stupid. And this guy looked stupid, based on the conspicuous trench coat he was wearing in the sultry summer heat. But an opponent with a small brain isn’t always a good thing. A dumb guy will often take a big risk, something crazy and unpredictable. Sometimes the dumb ones are the most dangerous. She had a quick vision where she just whirled and shot him in the face. She paused and gave a grim sigh. I’m not that dumb anymore, she thought. And sometimes it’s a shame. Being smart is no fun at all. It was too bad this had to happen now; she had somewhere to go. It was a hopeful place, too—maybe. A place where someone like her might get a new start. But this guy was screwing everything up. She swore softly to herself and took a deep breath, cooling her rage a bit. The last thing she needed was to end up surrounded by bloody body parts—again. She stopped in front of a Mexican restaurant called El Sol and glanced sideways down the expanse of Peachtree Street. The smell of spicy rice and burritos wafted into her nostrils, just like it had back in her hometown of Diego Tijuana, where other people sometimes tried to kill her. Meanwhile, the guy had also stopped. He was looking at his allcom, maybe just staring at a blank screen, or maybe actually communicating with somebody. All right, it was time to make her move.
“Coauthors Steve Berry and M.J. Rose take lots of hairpin turns, making for an intense, suspenseful, and action-packed read. – Apple Books
The House of Long Ago, an all-new thrilling and mysterious tale from New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry and international bestselling author M.J. Rose is available now!
The time has come for Cassiopeia Vitt to sell her ancestral home. It sits on a Spanish bluff by the Mediterranean Sea, and bears the name Casa de Hace Mucho Tiempo, House of Long Ago. Trapped inside its walls are memories from a time when Cassiopeia was growing from a rebellious adolescent into a thoughtful young woman—regretful times when she often found herself estranged from her parents. Also inside are fifteen paintings, each one a masterpiece, together representing an investment in the tens of millions of euros—her father’s private art collection—which she intends to donate to museums. But when an art expert declares all fifteen paintings fake, and suggests that her father may have been involved with something illegal, she embarks on a quest to find answers.
From a secret repository in Andorra, to a mysterious yacht in the Mediterranean, then finally onto the streets of Paris and a horrific reminder from World War II, Cassiopeia must battle every step of the way to stay alive—a fight that will finally bring her face to face with the truth about the House of Long Ago.
Cassiopeia has decided the time has come to sell her parents home. As she is going through her father’s extensive art collection. She realizes all the paintings are fake. This leads her to a secret repository is the mysterious country of Andora.
Cassiopeia discovers a possible theft and her life becomes endangered. But, don’t worry…this does not deter her in the least. Cassiopeia never backs down from a fight. She is one of my favorite fictional characters. She is tough and smart as a whip.
Give me an old house and a mystery and I am set! And this one does not disappoint. This story is action packed and full of history!
I received this novel for a honest review
About Steve Berry
Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of nineteen novels, which include: The Warsaw Protocol, The Malta Exchange, The Bishop’s Pawn, The Lost Order, The 14th Colony, The Patriot Threat, The Lincoln Myth, The King’s Deception, The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor’s Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. His books have been translated into 40 languages with 25,000,000 copies in 51 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists.
History lies at the heart of every Steve Berry novel. It’s his passion, one he shares with his wife, Elizabeth, which led them to create History Matters, a foundation dedicated to historic preservation. Since 2009 Steve and Elizabeth have crossed the country to save endangered historic treasures, raising money via lectures, receptions, galas, luncheons, dinners and their popular writers’ workshops. To date, 3,500 students have attended those workshops with over $1.5 million dollars raised.
Steve’s devotion to historic preservation was recognized by the American Library Association, which named Steve its spokesperson for National Preservation Week. Among his other honors are the Royden B. Davis Distinguished Author Award; the Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award given by Poets & Writers; the Anne Frank Human Writes Award; and the Silver Bullet, bestowed by International Thriller Writers for his philanthropic work. He has been chosen both the Florida and Georgia Writer of the Year. He’s also an emeritus member of the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board. In 2010, a NPR survey named The Templar Legacy one of the top 100 thrillers ever written.
Steve was born and raised in Georgia, graduating from the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. He was a trial lawyer for 30 years and held elective office for 14 of those years. He is a founding member of International Thriller Writers—a group of nearly 6,000 thriller writers from around the world—and served three years as its co-president.
M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice… Books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.
Rose is a the Co-President and founding member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz. She runs the blog, Museum of Mysteries.
In 1998, her first novel Lip Service was the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.
Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek, and New York Magazine.
She has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L’Official, Poets and Writers, and Publishers Weekly.
Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the ’80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.
Set during the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair, two intrepid young women–an aspiring journalist and a down-on-her-luck actress–form an unlikely friendship as they navigate a world of endless possibility, stand down adversity, and find out what they are truly made of during the glorious summer of spectacle and opportunity…
“An ode to female friendship that pulses with momentum and left me breathless.” –Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Chelsea Girls
“A remarkable novel about the challenges women face and the courage they must summon in order to lead the lives they deserve.” –Lynda Cohen Loigman, author of The Two-Family House
Vivi Holden is closer than she’s ever been to living her dream as a lead actress in sun-dappled L.A., but an unfair turn of events sends her back to New York, a place she worked so hard to escape from. She has one last chance to get back to Hollywood–by performing well as the star of the heralded Aquacade synchronized swimming spectacular at the World’s Fair. Everything seems to be working against her, but her summer in New York will lead to her biggest opportunity to find her own way, on her own terms…
Maxine Roth wants nothing more than to be a serious journalist at the iconic New York Times, but her professor has other plans. Instead, she’s landed a post at the pop-up publication dedicated to covering the World’s Fair–and even then, her big ideas are continually overlooked by her male counterparts. Max didn’t work this hard to be the only–and an unheard one at that–woman in the room.
When Max and Vivi’s worlds collide, they forge an enduring friendship. One that shows them to be the daring, bold women they are, and one that teaches them to never stop holding on to what matters most, in the most meaningful summer of their lives.
Review
Max is a young lady struggling to make it in journalism. She loses the internship she wanted at the New York Times to a man. She was given the internship at the Worlds Fair news paper. Not exactly what she wanted at all.
Vivi is an up and coming actress and she is replaced in film. She is then sent to NYC to perform in the Aquacade show at the Worlds Fair. She is under the impression that if she does this, she will be given a starring role in a film in the fall.
These two ladies struggle to overcome the male world during 1939. They are both unique characters in unique situations. I loved each storyline and the author did a great job melding them together. And the historical setting of the Worlds Fair is amazing.
This is great story about friendship, feminism, and strength with a good bit of history thrown into the mix. Grab your copy today. You will not be disappointed!
I received a copy from the publisher for a honest review.
In 1935 three women are forever changed when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history barrels toward the Florida Keys.
For the tourists traveling on Henry Flagler’s legendary Overseas Railroad, Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to forget the economic depression gripping the nation. But one person’s paradise can be another’s prison, and Key West-native Helen Berner yearns to escape.
After the Cuban Revolution of 1933 leaves Mirta Perez’s family in a precarious position, she agrees to an arranged marriage with a notorious American. Following her wedding in Havana, Mirta arrives in the Keys on her honeymoon. While she can’t deny the growing attraction to her new husband, his illicit business interests may threaten not only her relationship, but her life.
Elizabeth Preston’s trip to Key West is a chance to save her once-wealthy family from their troubles after the Wall Street crash. Her quest takes her to the camps occupied by veterans of the Great War and pairs her with an unlikely ally on a treacherous hunt of his own.
Over the course of the holiday weekend, the women’s paths cross unexpectedly, and the danger swirling around them is matched only by the terrifying force of the deadly storm threatening the Keys.
Review
This story is told by three different narrators, Helen, Mirta and Elizabeth. Their lives are intertwined but they do not know it. It takes a hurricane to bring these three together.
Helen is in an abusive marriage and she is expecting. She must get away from her husband now! Mirta is a newlywed. And she does not know her husband well…at all. Elizabeth is running away from her fiancé to find her lost brother.
These three ladies are strong and resilient. They each tackle their problems differently. I connected with each of their stories immediately. The author uses a powerful, historical hurricane to unite these three into a very unique and compelling tale.
This is the best book by this author…hands down. I loved everything about it. The setting, the characters, the intensity…fantastic from start to finish.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by The Every Girl, PureWow, Book Riot, Library Journal and more.
“Forever and to the end. That’s what they say instead of I love you.”
When Ruby King’s mother is found murdered in their home in Chicago’s South Side, the police dismiss it as another act of violence in a black neighborhood. But for Ruby, it’s a devastating loss that leaves her on her own with her violent father. While she receives many condolences, her best friend, Layla, is the only one who understands how this puts Ruby in jeopardy.
Their closeness is tested when Layla’s father, the pastor of their church, demands that Layla stay away. But what is the price for turning a blind eye? In a relentless quest to save Ruby, Layla uncovers the murky loyalties and dangerous secrets that have bound their families together for generations. Only by facing this legacy of trauma head-on will Ruby be able to break free.
An unforgettable debut novel, Saving Ruby King is a powerful testament that history doesn’t determine the present and the bonds of friendship can forever shape the future.
Review
Ruby’s mom has been murdered. Ruby is completely at a loss. Her mother’s death leaves her with an abusive father and with little recourse to get away. Layla, Ruby’s best friend, is always there. She is determined to help her friend but to what end. There are way too many secrets and dangers.
Wow! This is a wonderful story. This is a debut novel and the author nailed it. I fell in love with Ruby right from the start. And her and her mother’s situation terrified me. The deeper I went into this tale, the more tangled it became.
Well, if you read one book this year..this is it! It is unforgettable, amazing and intense! The way this story is twisted around itself and just keeps unfolding literally keeps the reader on the edge of the seat! And the ending! Oh my!
Plus, the author is profound in many of her statements. Her prose is unique and I cannot say enough about her talent!
This book will stay with you for a while! Do not miss this one!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Catherine Adel West is a writer/editor living on the South Side of Chicago. Her experience as a black woman shapes every aspect of her writing and she is sure to be a voice for many women. Her work has been published in Black Fox Literary Magazine, Five2One, Better than Starbucks, Doors Ajar, 805 Lit + Art, The Helix Magazine, Lunch Ticket, and most recently Kaaterskill Basin Literary Journal. Saving Ruby King is her debut novel.
Additional Praise for Saving Ruby King:
“Told with teeth and tenderness, SAVING RUBY KING is a surprising, pedal-down debut that explores what happens when the fabrics of family, faith, and friendship snag on violent machinations of the heart. Redemption and survival share a pew with reckoning and hope here, all tangled up with the ties that bind. Catherine Adel West gifts us Chicago, the black church, and a choir of flawed, wonderfully complicated characters who flash fresh with every turn of the page, who stand against the wind, who won’t go down without a fight.”
—Leesa Cross-Smith, author of Whiskey & Ribbons and So We Can Glow
“Fans of Brit Bennett’s The Mothers will be eagerly awaiting a copy. Like a Greek tragedy, West cleverly employs a cast of narrators, including the church building itself, to tell the story of a community where family is not always home, and the church does not offer sanctuary. Religion is supposed to save souls; however, Ruby and the other girls in this novel come to realize that friendship can only take you so far – then you must save yourself.”—Pamela Klinger-Horn, Excelsior Bay Books
” Using Chicago as her backdrop, West weaves a haunting and thought-provoking story about what happens when good people do really bad things to help protect the ones they love, and when secrets kept too long help create monsters among us. Saving Ruby King is a must-read.” —Dawn Braasch, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore
“A compelling story, unique perspectives, and lyrical prose–Saving Ruby King is a wonderful debut full of shadows and secrets, truths and lies, and the dark and the light that make up the church-going world of these Southside Chicago characters who overcome great trauma, both personal and political. Catherine Adel West is a voice for the invisible; her words a beacon in these divisive times.” —Samantha Kolber, Bear Pond Books
“Catherine Adel West’s stunning debut novel explores the dark and cobwebbed corners that lurk in the history of two families. Through the eyes of the Calvary Hope Christian Church, set in Chicago’s South Side, we witness the strength of community, the on-going struggle of racial divide and the sad reality of neighbors who turn a blind eye to a crisis unfolding in the house next door. The murder of Ruby King’s mother is the catalyst that forces the past to the surface and holds the key to forgiveness, hope, understanding and the possibility of a new beginning.” —Maxwell Gregory,Lake Forest Book Store
“Secrets don’t just hurt people; they kill. And Ruby isn’t the only person who needs saving in this debut novel; pretty much everyone needs help on some level. Each character tells the story in their own voice, including their church, Calvary Hope, a building who has seen many things over the years and has secrets of its own.”
—Anne Holman, King’s English Bookshop
“Catherine Adel West’s Saving Ruby King is by turns heartrending and tender. It pulls us into the lives of its characters—each more complex than the next, each caught in a moment of tragedy—and shows us the power they’ve found in their friendships and in their faith. Saving Ruby King is an excellent selection for readers looking for a story filled with grit and hope in Chicago.”—Jenny Clines, Seminary Co-op Bookstore
The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season Author: Molly Fader ISBN: 9781525804557 Publication Date: June 6, 2020 Publisher: Graydon House Books
BOOK SUMMARY For fans of Robyn Carr, commercial women’s fiction about three generations of women who come together at the family orchard to face secrets from the past and learn to believe in the power of hope and forgiveness.
In cherry season, anything is possible…Everything Hope knows about the Orchard House is from her late-mother’s stories. So when she arrives at the Northern Michigan family estate late one night with a terrible secret and her ten-year-old daughter in tow, she’s not sure if she’ll be welcomed or turned away with a shotgun by the aunt she has never met.Hope’s aunt, Peg, has lived in the Orchard House all her life, though the property has seen better days. She agrees to take Hope in if, in exchange, Hope helps with the cherry harvest—not exactly Hope’s specialty, but she’s out of options. As Hope works the orchard alongside her aunt, daughter, and a kind man she finds increasingly difficult to ignore, a new life begins to blossom. But the mistakes of the past are never far behind, and soon the women will find themselves fighting harder than ever for their family roots and for each other.
Chapter 1
Hope had never seen a dark so dark. It had heft and dimension, like she was driving right into an abyss. She thought about waking up Tink in the back to show her, but the girl had finally fallen asleep and she needed the rest. And Hope needed a break. Who knew traveling with a completely silent, angry and traumatized ten-year-old could be so exhausting? Hope’s phone had died when she got off the highway about twenty minutes ago. In those last few minutes of battery she had tried to memorize the directions: Left on Murray Street. Slight right onto County Road 72. Your destination is five miles on the right. But County Road 72 wasn’t well marked and now she feared she was lost. Well, for sure she was lost; in the grand scheme of things she was totally off the map. But she was clinging to the one ratty thread of hope she had left in her hand. And then just as that tiny bit of thread started to slip out of her fingers, from the murk emerged a blue sign. County Road 72. The road took a long arcing right into the dark, and she unrolled her window, trying to keep herself awake. Adrenaline and gas station coffee could only do so much against two sleepless nights. Her yawn was so wide it split her lip. Again. Copper-tasting blood pooled in her mouth. “Shit,” she breathed and pressed the last of the napkins against her mouth. She was even out of napkins. In the back, Tink woke up. Hope heard the change in her breathing. The sudden gasp like she was waking up from a nightmare. Or into one. Hard to say. “Hey,” Hope said, looking over her shoulder into the shadows of the back seat. Her daughter’s pale face like a moon slid into the space between the driver and passenger seats. “We’re almost there.” Hope sounded like they were about to drive up to the gates of Disney World. Tink rubbed her eyes. “Did you see the stars?” Hope’s voice climbed into that range she’d recently developed. Dementedly cheerful. Stepford Mom on helium. She winced at the sound of it. That wasn’t her. It wasn’t how she talked to Tink. And yet she couldn’t tune her voice back to normal. “There are so many of them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars.” Tink ducked her head to look out the windshield and then turned to cock her head at an angle so she could look out the passenger windows. They’d gone to an exhibit about the constellations at the Science Center a year ago and Tink still talked about it. Pointing up at Sirius like she’d discovered it herself. “Aren’t those the pieties?” Hope got the name wrong on purpose, hoping for a snotty-toned correction from her miniature astronomer. Or at least a throat-clearing scoff. But no. “Sooner or later you’re going to talk to me,” she said. “You’re going to open that mouth and all the words you haven’t said all day are gonna come pouring out.” Silence. “Do you want to ask me questions about where we’re going?” They were, after all, heading deep into Northern Michigan to a place she and Tink had never been, and Hope had never told her about until today. Tink rubbed her eyes again. “Or maybe what happened…tonight?” Her gaze bounced between Tink and the road. When you’re older, you’ll understand. When you’re a mom, you’ll understand. She wanted to say that to her daughter, but she herself barely understood any of what had happened the last two days. Still silence. Hope tried a different angle. “I’m telling you, Tink. I know you and you can’t keep this up much longer. I’ll bet you ten bucks you say something to me in five…four…three…two…” She pulled in a breath that tasted like tears and blood. Please, honey. Please. “One.” She sighed. “Fine. You win.” Her beat-up hatchback bounced over the uneven asphalt and Tink crawled from the backseat into the front, her elbow digging into Hope’s shoulder, her flip-flopped foot kicking her in the thigh. The degree of parenting it would take to stop Tink from doing that, or to discuss the potential dangers and legality of it, was completely beyond her. She was beyond pick your battles, into some new kind of wild west motherhood. Pretend there were no battles. They drove another five minutes until finally, ahead, there was a golden halo of light over the trees along the side of the road, and Hope slowed down. A gravel driveway snaked through the darkness and she took it on faith that it had been five miles. “This is it.” Please let this be it. The driveway opened up and there was a yellow-brick, two-story house. The Orchard House. That was what Mom called it in the few stories she’d told about growing up here. Actually, the words she used were The Goddamn Orchard House. It was a grand old-fashioned place with second-story windows like empty eyes staring down at them. White gingerbread nestled up in the corners of the roof, and there was a big wide porch with requisite rocking chairs. Seriously, it was so charming, it could have been fake. The car rolled to a stop and Hope put it in park. Her maniacal new voice failed her, and she just sat there. Silent. Suddenly the front door opened and a dog – a big one, with big teeth – came bounding out. Cujo stopped at the top of the steps and started barking. Behind the dog came a woman in a blue robe carrying a shotgun. Tink made a high panicked sound in her voice, climbing up in her seat. Hope’s impulse was to turn the car around and get out of there. The problem was there was nowhere to turn around to. They had no place left to go. “It’s okay, honey,” Hope lied. She went as far as to put her hand over Tink’s bony knee, the knob of it fitting her palm like a baseball. “Everything’s going to be all right.” More desperate than brave, Hope popped open the door. The dog’s bark, unmuffled by steel and glass, was honest-to-god blood curdling. “Hi!” she yelled, trying to be both cheerful and loud enough to be heard over the barking. “Get your hands up,” the woman on the porch shouted. Hope shoved her hands up through the crack between the door and the car and did a kind of jazz hands with her fingers. “What do you want?” the woman asked. “Are you Peg—” “I can’t hear you.” She stood up, her head reaching up over the door. “Are you Peg?” “Never mind, me. Who the hell are you?” She pointed the business end of the gun toward them. Hope quickly side-stepped away from the car door, and Tink reached across the driver’s seat and slammed it shut. The heavy thud of the engaged lock was unmistakeable. “You don’t know me—” “No shit!” “My name is Hope,” she said. The gun lowered and the woman’s face changed. From anger to something more careful. “Hope?” “Yeah. I’m Denise’s girl. I’m…well, you’re my aunt?”
Molly Fader is the author of The McAvoy Sisters Book of Secrets. She is also the award-winning author of more than forty romance novels under the pennames Molly O’Keefe and M. O’Keefe. She grew up outside of Chicago and now lives in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter, @mollyokwrites.
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