reecaspieces

Overview

Three decades ago, a tragedy ignited a chain of events that devastated two New York City families and still haunts them today. Even their youngest members, Suzanne Starek and Jay Darnell, haven’t been left unscathed.

Suzanne is at the end of her twenties and has been plagued by misfortune, including her parents’ ill-fated union and the abrupt demise of her promising childhood career. Although she treasures her lifelong bond with Jay, being his best friend isn’t enough. She has spent years hiding her feelings for him and trying to understand her mother’s cryptic warning to keep him at a distance.

Suzanne wavers between staying safe and reaching for love while she helps Jay cope with his own mother, a glamorous and troubled widow. But when a clash between the families reveals shocking truths, Suzanne must decide how she will move forward from the heartbreaking past.

Review

Three decades ago, a tragedy ignited a chain of events that devastated two New York City families and still haunts them today. Even their youngest members, Suzanne Starek and Jay Darnell, haven’t been left unscathed.

Suzanne and Jay have been best friends throughout their whole lives. They have been through so much. Between Jay’s mother and Suzanne’s failed dreams, their bond remains strong.

I love when an author gets the characters right. And this book is full of great characters, romantic tension, family drama and so much more. And each character grows and shows such depth! I was captivated from start to finish!

Need an engaging novel with hidden love…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

A tender, funny portrait of love in its myriad forms.” —Mikki Brammer, bestselling author of The Collected Regrets of Clover

A funny, heartfelt, late coming-of-age story that examines the role of memory in holding us back—and in moving us forward—for fans of The Collected Regrets of Clover and Maame.

Call it inertia. Call it a quarter-life crisis. Whatever you call it, Cricket Campbell is stuck. Despite working at a zeitgeisty wellness company, the 26-year-old feels anything but well. Still adrift after a tragedy that upended her world a decade ago, she has entered early adulthood under the weight of a new burden: her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

When Cricket’s older sister Nina announces it is time to move Arthur from his beloved Adirondack lake house into a memory-care facility, Cricket has a better idea. In returning home to become her father’s caretaker, she hopes to repair their strained relationship and shake herself out of her perma-funk. But even deeply familiar places can hold surprises.

As Cricket settles back into the family house at Catwood Pond—a place she once loved, but hasn’t visited since she was a teenager—she discovers that her father possesses a rare gift: as he loses his grasp of the past, he is increasingly able to predict the future. Before long, Arthur cements his reputation as an unlikely oracle, but for Cricket, believing in her father’s prophecies might also mean facing the most painful parts of her history. As she begins to remember who she once was, she uncovers a vital truth: the path forward often starts by going back.

With laugh-out-loud humor and profound grace, Before I Forget explores the nuances of family, the complexities of memory, and how sometimes, the people we know the best are the ones who surprise us the most.

Review

To say I loved this book is an understatement. It is so soft and complex all at the same time…I know that doesn’t make sense but you read and tell me what you think.

When Cricket’s older sister Nina announces it is time to move Arthur from his beloved Adirondack lake house into a memory-care facility, Cricket has a better idea. In returning home to become her father’s caretaker, she hopes to repair their strained relationship and shake herself out of her perma-funk. But even deeply familiar places can hold surprises.

I love a book that sneaks up on you. This book is full of great characters. I loved Cricket’s waywardness and Nina’s solidness. Their diversity in handling situations led to some humorous situations. I mean…what is not to love about Cricket promoting her father as clairvoyant. Makes you wonder how this storyline came about.

This is a story full of humor, family drama, life choices, grief and everything in between. You do not want to miss this one.

Need a tale which will give you all the feels…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

Purchase Here

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Overview

On a brisk February morning while walking to the diner where she works, 24 year-old Ruth Foster is stopped by the local sheriff. He insists she accompany him to a health clinic, threatening to arrest her if she doesn’t undergo testing in order to preserve decency and prevent the spread of sexual disease.

Though Ruth has never shared more than a chaste kiss with a man, by day’s end she is one of dozens of women held at the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women. Some are there because they were reported for promiscuity by neighbors, husbands, strangers. Some were accused of prostitution. Others were just pretty and unmarried. Or poor and “suspicious.” One was eating dinner alone in a restaurant. Another spoke to a soldier. 

Josephine’s sin was running a business as a single woman. Maude’s was trying to drown her sorrows. Frances had lost her mind. Opal married a man with a mean streak. Some, like 15-year-old Stella, are brought in because they’re victims of assault. She’s too naive and broken to understand how unjust this imprisonment is.

Superintendent Dorothy Baker, convinced that she’s transforming degenerate souls into upstanding members of society, oversees the women’s medical treatment and “training” until they’re deemed ready for parole. Sooner or later, everyone at the Colony learns to abide by Mrs. Baker’s rule book or face the consequences—solitary confinement, grueling work assignments, and worse.

Review

Though Ruth has never shared more than a chaste kiss with a man, by day’s end she is one of dozens of women held at the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women. Some are there because they were reported for promiscuity by neighbors, husbands, strangers. Some were accused of prostitution. Others were just pretty and unmarried. Or poor and “suspicious.” One was eating dinner alone in a restaurant. Another spoke to a soldier. 

I am not going to lie. This book is so good, BUT DANG! I hated Dorothy Baker! And this made me want to stop reading at times. And as a matter of fact, I put it down a time or two to breathe. But I would have to pick it back up because I had to know what happened.

It is hard to believe this was acceptable to do to another person. This will break your heart, infuriate you and make you want to hit someone. But, I love a book which has me researching and I looked up everything I could about this time period.

This is a story you will not soon forget! This is also one that creates such emotion that you do not know where to turn!

Need a tale that will leave you gasping for air…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel for a honest review.

Purchase Here

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Overview

Madeline Brimley, new owner of a bookstore in a small Georgia town, finds herself playing sleuth when a friend is charged with the murder of a much-disliked woman.

Madeline Brimley recently inherited a bookstore in Enigma, Georgia, is embarking on her second career, after her first one (acting) founders upon the metaphorical rocks. Settling in, Madeline recruits her friend Gloria Coleman, the local Episcopal priest, to help her plant azaleas in the front yard of the old Victorian that houses the bookstore. Turning the soil, however, uncovers the body of one Beatrice Glassie, a troublesome woman who has been missing for the past six months. 

When her friend Gloria is arrested for the murder, Madeline is determined to prove her innocence and, as she quickly finds out, there aren’t many people in town who hadn’t wanted to kill Bea Glassie at one point or another. And the very expensive and rare first edition of a particular volume of Grimm’s Fairy Tales—ordered by the victim and her sister is somehow tied to the grim death. With the help of her not-quite-boyfriend, a local lawman, and her deceased aunt’s best friend, Madeline plans to set a trap to catch the real murderer—before she becomes the next victim.

Review

Madeline Brimley, new owner of a bookstore in a small Georgia town, finds herself playing sleuth when a friend is charged with the murder of a much-disliked woman.

Ok! Let me just say, I was captured by this cover. But, I am not a fan of cozy mysteries (gasp!).

I am a big fan of bookstores and the south. So, that was a big plus in this book. I also enjoyed Madeline and her antics. She is not going to stop till she gets to the bottom of the issue.

This just moves a bit slow and it has some areas that I don’t believe the police would let anyone do what they were doing in an investigation. (Clear as mud!😜) This got on my nerves a bit.

Need a great setting, cozy mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

Purchase Here

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