reecaspieces

Overview

Review

Lucy has moved back to her hometown after the death of her husband, Wayne. She just wants to raise her small son in place she knows. She decides to open a bake shop, even if some of Wayne’s family insist it is too soon after his death. They think she should just sit home and mourn. This is not Lucy’s style. Her marriage was a big mistake, but no one actually knows this. Enter Duffy, her best friend from high school. He also is part owner of McCready’s Bait Shop and Funeral Home. (Yes! You read that correctly!). Sparks soon start to fly between these two and then begins all the complications.

Duffy is magnetic! And Lucy is no slouch either. These two take a while to overcome some past issues…they were best friends in high school after all. When they finally decide to give their romance a whirl, it does not go off as smoothly as they had hoped. But don’t worry, that’s just part of the fun!

Molly Harper has the best southern characters. I swear! Everyone of these live in my hometown. She nails the characters, the southern ways and especially the southern charm.

If you need a quick, quirky, fun read, grab this one and go! I loved it!

I received this novel from Gallery Books via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

New York Times bestselling author of On the Island, Tracey Garvis Graves, presents the compelling, hopelessly romantic novel of unconditional love.

Annika (rhymes with Monica) Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people’s behavior confusing, she’d rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.

Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game―and his heart―to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.

Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She’s living the life she wanted as a librarian. He’s a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.

Review

Annika and Jonathan met during college. She is awkward and would rather have books than people around her. She slowly allows Jonathan into her small world. Due to various circumstances (MUST READ TO FIND OUT!) they go their separate ways. Jonathan gets married and divorced. Annika gets an advanced degree and achieves her dream job at the Chicago Public Library. They accidentally run into each other one day in Chicago and both of their worlds change.

Jonathan is now my new book boyfriend. These two have such a strong connection. Jonathan has to be the most patient person ever. And he truly loves Annika. It comes out in every turn of the page. Annika is not like most women. She does not like to be touched, she cannot stand to be around people and she makes many social gaffes. She has struggled her whole life to overcome her awkwardness and she has, for the most part, done real well. But, to keep her relationship with Jonathon going, she must overcome more obstacles than she realizes.

This story completely captivated me. I started reading it on a Friday and finished it on Saturday. I have never read a sweeter story in all my reading life. I even texted my friend over at Silversreviews , just to let her know I was about to ugly cry. And I do not cry during books. This one had me tearing up! Let me tell you! Need a fantastic, captivating and emotional read, grab this one!

I received this novel from St. Martin’s Press for a honest review.

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Overview

An Amazon Charts bestseller.

Honesty is the best policy…except maybe when it comes to marriage in this brilliant novel about the high price of perfection from bestselling author Camille Pagán.

Wife. Mother. Breadwinner. Penelope Ruiz-Kar is doing it all—and barely keeping it together. Meanwhile, her best friend, Jenny Sweet, appears to be sailing through life. As close as the two women are, Jenny’s passionate marriage, pristine house, and ultra-polite child stand in stark contrast to Penelope’s underemployed husband, Sanjay, their unruly brood, and the daily grind she calls a career.

Then a shocking tragedy reveals that Jenny’s life is far from perfect. Reeling, Penelope vows to stop keeping the peace and finally deal with the issues in her relationship. So she and Sanjay agree to a radical proposal: both will write a list of changes they want each other to make—then commit to complete and total honesty.

What seems like a smart idea quickly spirals out of control, revealing new rifts and even deeper secrets. As Penelope stares down the possible implosion of her marriage, she must ask herself: When it comes to love, is honesty really the best policy?

Review

Penelope is struggling through life, marriage and motherhood. She has two wonderful, boisterous kids, a great job, a husband she loves, even if he is a little bit of a dead beat. But, she is so tired of carrying this heavy load. She feels overwhelmed and completely under appreciated. Plus, she compares herself to other moms, especially her best friend Jenny. Jenny has an immaculate home, she is always there with cupcakes to every school function and she and her husband have the perfect marriage….or so it seems on the outside. Penny finds Jenny dead one day from an overdose. Then all the secrets start to come out!

Penny is a tough, tired lady and when her best friend dies she realizes something has to change in her life. She has a heart-to-heart talk with her husband. So, they come up with an idea to create a list of what they need from the other person. Penny wants…what all women want. Sanjay needs to get a job and help more around the house. She never truly expected Sanjay to give her a list. Well, he did!

I love the paradox this novel creates…is honesty the best policy? We are all for it when we get to tell the other person what is wrong with them…but can we take what is wrong with us? The author did a fantastic job with Penny’s feelings. And when Sanjay gets his act together…I can see why she fell in love with him to begin with. I enjoy these characters so much. They are so real! I struggled right along with Penny. We have all been there.

A wonderful story about life and marriage. Need a good, quick read…this one is for you!

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Overview

Originally titled Sixty Seconds

A deeply emotional drama that explores a family’s path to forgiveness and redemption in the aftermath of a tragedy.

The Brennans — parents, Finn and Bridget, and their sons, Jarrah and Toby — have made a sea change, from chilly Hobart, Tasmania, to subtropical Murwillumbah, New South Wales. Feeling like foreigners in this land of sun and surf, they’re still adjusting to work, school, and life in a sprawling purple clapboard house, when one morning, tragedy strikes.

In the devastating aftermath, the questions fly. What really happened? And who’s to blame? Determined to protect his family, Finn finds himself under the police and media spotlight. Guilty and enraged, Bridget spends nights hunting answers in the last place imaginable. Jarrah — his innocence lost — faces a sudden and frightening adulthood where nothing is certain.

In the Blink of an Eye is a haunting, redemptive story about forgiveness and hope.

Review

The Brennan’s have uprooted and moved to a totally different place. The family, Finn, Bridget, Jarrah and Toby are just working hard to adjust to a whole new environment. New jobs, new friends, new school is tough on everybody. Then the unthinkable happens. It tears the family apart.

Jarrah is a young boy coming to terms with who he is. When the tragedy strikes he has to take on an adult role he is not ready for. Bridget is so wracked with guilt and anger she makes some self-destructive decisions. Then there is Finn. He is so determined to protect and keep his family together, he loses sight of who he is.

This is an emotional story. Each person in this family deals with the heartbreak differently and it takes a huge toll on the family as a unit. This novel takes you in an emotional roller coaster. It is hard to read in places because it rips your heart to pieces.

Don’t miss this tale of love, strength, hope and forgiveness.

I received this novel from St. Martin’s Press for a honest review.

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Overview

Elise Sontag is a typical Iowa fourteen-year-old in 1943–aware of the war but distanced from its reach. Then her father, a legal U.S. resident for nearly two decades, is suddenly arrested on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. The family is sent to an internment camp in Texas, where, behind the armed guards and barbed wire, Elise feels stripped of everything beloved and familiar, including her own identity.

The only thing that makes the camp bearable is meeting fellow internee Mariko Inoue, a Japanese-American teen from Los Angeles, whose friendship empowers Elise to believe the life she knew before the war will again be hers. Together in the desert wilderness, Elise and Mariko hold tight the dream of being young American women with a future beyond the fences.

Review

Elise is an American with German parents. Mariko is an American with Japanese parents. These two girls develop a friendship in a most unlikely place, an internment camp in Texas. Both Mariko and Elise had to put their lives on hold and basically lose everything to go into the camp. Their friendship is about the only highlight in their lives. Then Elise and her family are exchanged for POWs. They are shipped back to war torn Germany. Mariko’s family is shipped back to Japan. Their lives change forever and they lose touch for many, many years.

The path Elise’s life took, through no decisions of her own, is really amazing. She is accustomed to the life of a young American girl and then she is shipped to Germany. She has to adjust to no food, bombing raids, and terror in her everyday life. She is torn away from her only friend, and Elise has no idea if Mariko is alive or dead. Then her life changes again when she meets a young GI.

This book takes you on a ride you won’t soon forget. There is so much I want to tell y’all about this book. This is a well written, well researched, historical tale about friendship, tragedy and human spirit. There are actually parts of this book I would love to quote. A fantastic read is an understatement.

I received this novel from Berkley Publishing via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

“The result is a thriller that intrigues and provides historical context. Berry is the master scientist with a perfect formula.” ― Associated Press

One of USA Today’s “Five Books Not to Miss!”

The next in New York Times top 5 bestseller Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone series involves the Knights of Malta, papal conclave, and lost documents that could change history.

A deadly race for the Vatican’s oldest secret fuels New York Times bestseller Steve Berry’s latest international Cotton Malone thriller.

The pope is dead. A conclave to select his replacement is about to begin. Cardinals are beginning to arrive at the Vatican, but one has fled Rome for Malta in search of a document that dates back to the 4th century and Constantine the Great.

Former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, is at Lake Como, Italy, on the trail of legendary letters between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini that disappeared in 1945 and could re-write history. But someone else seems to be after the same letters and, when Malone obtains then loses them, he’s plunged into a hunt that draws the attention of the legendary Knights of Malta.

The knights have existed for over nine hundred years, the only warrior-monks to survive into modern times. Now they are a global humanitarian organization, but within their ranks lurks trouble ― the Secreti ― an ancient sect intent on affecting the coming papal conclave. With the help of Magellan Billet agent Luke Daniels, Malone races the rogue cardinal, the knights, the Secreti, and the clock to find what has been lost for centuries. The final confrontation culminates behind the walls of the Vatican where the election of the next pope hangs in the balance.

Review

The pope has died and a conclave in convening. But, one cardinal may change the course of history. An ancient sect, knights and secrets are all it takes to bring in Cotton Malone. Cotton is once again on the trail of a mystery. He is searching for letters written between Churchill and Mussolini during WWII. This opens a can of worms and leads to murder and mayhem.

I have been a fan of Steve Berry for quite a long time. His book The Amber Room still ranks as one of my all time favorites. However, his past couple of books have been lacking for me. As a matter of fact, I could not even finish the last one. This one, however, is a little better. Notice, I said “a little”. This book’s subject matter is much better because it is a religious mystery with a little bit of WWII sprinkled in. Plus, this one takes you all over Italy and that is a great historical setting. No one does historical research like Steve Berry. He has wonderful history in with action and intrigue. However, I am ready for Cotton to retire. Cotton does not have the allure for me as he did in the past. I feel now that all the books read the same.

After that being said….if you have never read Steve Berry, do not let this review stop you. He is a very good writer. I am just ready for something different.

I received this novel from Minotaur Books via Netgalley for a honest review.

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Overview

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Natchez Burning trilogy returns with an electrifying tale of friendship, betrayal, and shattering secrets that threaten to destroy a small Mississippi town.

When Marshall McEwan left his hometown at age eighteen, he vowed never to return. The trauma that drove him away ultimately spurred him to become one of the most successful journalists in Washington D.C. But just as the political chaos in the nation’s capital lifts him to new heights, Marshall is forced to return home in spite of his boyhood vow.

His father is dying, his mother is struggling to keep the family newspaper from failing, and the town is in the midst of an economic rebirth that might be built upon crimes that reach into the state capitol—and perhaps even to Washington. More disturbing still, Marshall’s high school sweetheart, Jet, has married into the family of Max Matheson, patriarch of one of the families that rule Bienville through a shadow organization called the Bienville Poker Club.

When archeologist Buck McKibben is murdered at a construction site, Bienville is thrown into chaos. The ensuing homicide investigation is soon derailed by a second crime that rocks the community to its core. Power broker Max Matheson’s wife has been shot dead in her own bed, and the only other person in it at the time was her husband, Max. Stranger still, Max demands that his daughter-on-law, Jet, defend him in court.

As a journalist, Marshall knows all too well how the corrosive power of money and politics can sabotage investigations. Without telling a soul, he joins forces with Jet, who has lived for fifteen years at the heart of Max Matheson’s family, and begins digging into both murders. With Jet walking the dangerous road of an inside informer, they soon uncover a web of criminal schemes that undergird the town’s recent success. But these crimes pale in comparison to the secret at the heart of the Matheson family. When those who have remained silent for years dare to speak to Marshall, pressure begins to build like water against a crumbling dam.

Marshall loses friends, family members, and finally even Jet, for no one in Bienville seems willing to endure the reckoning that the Poker Club has long deserved. And by the time Marshall grasps the long-buried truth, he would give almost anything not to have to face it.

Review

Marshall has returned home because his dad is sick. Marshall has taken over the small town newspaper his dad started. He has also taken up with an old girlfriend….and she is married to his best friend! And if that’s not enough to entertain you, one of his mentors is murdered.

As most of you know, Greg Iles is my all time favorite author. Not only is he from Mississippi, he has, what I call, “smart reads”. You cannot skim anything. If you do, you miss a key point of the story. He also has some of the most realistic characters ever. Marshall is no exception. He makes bad choices and bad decisions. But, his ultimate goal is to find out who killed his friend and why. And the why? Well! You must read to find out because, it may not be what you think.

This is an intricate piece of work full of twists and turns small town corruption and power. It is not only about one murder or three..it is about relationships, especially the relationship between father and son. It also has one of the best opening chapters of any book I have ever read.

I received this novel from William Morrow via Edelweiss for a honest review.

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