reecaspieces

Overview

Thirteen-year-old Evan Hanson is always the last in her family to know what’s going on. Her father, Gene, who’s been meaner since he began serving in Vietnam, isn’t around much, and she likes it better that way. But then her brother, Adam, gets drafted and her anti-war mother, Endura, takes him across the border to Canada, leaving Evan alone with Gene and her younger, special needs brother, Teddy.

When he realizes Endura isn’t returning, Gene takes Evan and Teddy to Eat and Get Gas, his mother’s cafe and gas station. There, as well as her no-nonsense but loving grandma, Evan encounters Aunt Vivian, a teasing but caring know-it-all; Uncle Frankie, injured in Vietnam and suffering from PTSD; Paco, the draft dodger Frankie is hiding; Hal and Hubert, the strange but gentle next-door neighbors; and Louanne, Frankie’s reserved sister. She is drawn in particular to Louanne, who was disfigured by a car accident that killed the rest of her and Frankie’s family.

At Eat and Get Gas, Evan finds a new freedom, and she starts to carve out a place for herself. She eventually, too, learns some of the family secrets she’s been kept in the dark about—and comes to understand that her mother isn’t coming back any time soon. Then, after reading a letter that wasn’t meant for her, Evan discovers the biggest secret of all.

Review

Evan’s world has been rocked when her mother takes her older brother, Adam, across the border into Canada and leaves her with her disabled brother, Teddy, and her mean father. Adam’s number has come up and he has been drafted to Vietnam. Evan’s dad, Gene, has just returned from Vietnam and he is no longer the father she knows.

Gene loads her and Teddy up and takes them to his mother’s place, a restaurant called Eat and Get Gas. This place helps Evan grow and gives her a purpose.

I really enjoyed how the author makes the reader attach themselves to Evan. I just wanted to jump through the pages on more than one occasion and help her. Between her dad and her Uncle Frankie…you just need to read this and find out!

This story creates a ton of emotions…anger, sadness, protection, just to name a few. Then there are the family secrets. This is one of my favorite tropes, I love a book with family secrets and this one has quite a few!

Need a story which will take your breath away in places…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

Set against the glamorous 1960s Jet Set—a failed debutante’s new job as assistant to society photographer Slim Aarons takes her into Palm Beach’s inner circle, and into a beguiling friendship with the star at its center, fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer

“This glittering novel shines as brightly as its heroine. A true delight.” —Nicola Harrison, author of Hotel Laguna

Washington Post Best Book of April * PureWow Best Book of Summer

It’s 1961, and for Margo Hightower, everything is about to change. True, her engagement is off, her family has fallen in scandal, and she’s completely broke. But she’s just been hired as assistant to photographer Slim Aarons—famous for his vibrant pictures of high society, royalty, and Hollywood stars—and she knows this opportunity is her ticket to something better.

From the bright beaches of Acapulco to glitzy parties in New York, Margo is thrown headfirst into the glamorous jet-set world she so covets, observing its ways from behind the camera as Slim’s sidekick. There’s Jackie Kennedy, Truman Capote’s Swans, a host of Vanderbilts. Beautiful people in beautiful places.

But when they land in Palm Beach, a scene with few rules and many riches, the lines between work and play begin to blur. As Margo becomes swept up in the city’s social circle—and into a friendship with heiress and rising fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer—the golden life seems increasingly in reach. Until she finds herself entangled in a complicated web of loyalties and secrets that could bring it all crashing down…

Review

Margo’s engagement has been called off. She is out of money and out of options! She takes a job as a photographer’s assistant and this changes her world in more ways than one.

I loved Margo. She truly came into her own as this story moves along. She knew nothing about working or about photography. But she has an eye and Slim Aarons, photographer extraordinaire, capitalizes on it on more than one occasion.

I had no idea about several of these famous characters in this novel. Lilly Pulitzer is definitely famous down here in the south. She was one of the most intriguing figures in this story. Her intelligence and charisma comes through the pages and puts everyone to shame!

Need a good tale about some famous people…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

What if you could take a vacation from your marriage? A couple decides to give it a shot in this fun, adventurous novel by Lian Dolan, the popular author of The Sweeney Sisters and Lost and Found in Paris.

After twenty-three years of building careers and raising kids together, Jason and Nicole Elswick are ready for a break from their daily lives. Jason has spent years planning his dream sabbatical—ditching work for a nine-month-long motorcycle trip through South America. Problem is, that’s Jason’s dream, not Nicole’s. After years working retail and parenting in Portland, Nicole craves the sun of the Southwest and the artistic community in Santa Fe, where she wants to learn jewelry design.

A chance encounter at a dinner party presents a surprising—and intriguing—way out of their dilemma. Over a little too much wine, Jason and Nicole’s married neighbors sing the praises of the 500 Mile Rule: their policy of enjoying themselves however they wish—and with whomever they wish—when they’re temporarily far apart. It seems like the perfect solution: nine months pursuing their own adventures—with a bit of don’t-ask-don’t-tell—and then a return to their shared lives. It’ll be a sabbatical from their marriage as well as their day jobs.

As Jason bikes his way across a continent and Nicole reclaims the art she’s long neglected, they discover the pleasures and pitfalls of the 500 Mile Rule, confronting temptations of all kinds, uncomfortable truths about themselves, and gaining new perspective on their partnership.

But all sabbaticals come to an end…then what?

Overview

Jason has earned a sabbatical from work. He has it all planned. He is going to be totally unplugged in the wilderness of South America. Nicole is having second thoughts. She does not want to go. She has decided she wants to go to Santa Fe and learn to make jewelry.

These two come up with a plan of the 500 mile rule. They can enjoy someone else’s company while they are apart. Don’t ask, don’t tell!

Now, I am not going to lie. When I first started this book, I thought, oh, this is not going to be for me. But, I kept going. And it did get better! And it is because the characters are so well written. But, I also had a bit of trouble with their decisions. Which is the whole point of this story. This is not your normal romance, nor is it something I would ever even consider. But, to each his own!

This is more of a story about renewal and self care. But, then realization hits and these two realize they love each other more than they thought.

I have read another book by this author, Lost and Found in Paris. I enjoyed it as well! So, if this different type of marriage is not for you, check out this other book! I enjoyed it as well!

Need a unique tale of marriage…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

This heart-warming second chance love story about hope and healing from USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains is perfect for fans of Raeanne Thayne and Jenny Hale!

For a gardener blessed with a green thumb, Savannah Collins’s life sure seems like it’s all thorns, zero roses. She has no job, no relationship, and no place to live. With nothing but a car full of plants and her new rescue kitten, Savannah heads to Bloom, North Carolina, to spend the summer with her beloved Aunt Eleanor, a retired librarian.

Her aunt shares her love of literature with the Finders Keepers Library, located in her beautiful garden, where anyone can stop by to pick a book or leave a book. When a sudden summer storm destroys the library and many of the roses, it will take a village to get everything ready for the garden wedding that is planned there in just three weeks.

As the entire town joins in to make the necessary repairs, Savannah bonds with their neighbor Evan Sanders over the books that Eleanor has handpicked for each of them, helping them both find healing and self-discovery. Savannah only intends to stay through the summer, but when an unexpected job offer, a sudden health crisis, and a wayward pre-teen push her future in new directions, she has to wonder whether this is the place that she is meant to be—and the family she’s meant to be with.

Review

Savannah has been diagnosed with lupus. And because of her issues, her fiancé has just up and left. So, she heads back to see her favorite Aunt Eleanor. She knows her aunt will be just what she needs to get herself back on track. But, Savannah was not prepared to run into her first love, Evan.

Savannah is not looking for a relationship…AT ALL! But when she runs into Evan, her emotions run rampant.

Evan has lost wife and is raising a young daughter. And he is definitely not letting Savannah get away twice!

I needed a good book a plane ride and this one hit the spot. The characters are adorable and who doesn’t love a book about books! Lots of great book references!

Need a heartwarming tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

Death comes for everyone.

Deep in the Florida Everglades, the body of a woman is discovered in pieces, presumably ravaged by an alligator. Upon closer inspection, it’s determined no animal could make such perfectly precise cuts. Only a blade could do that. Wielded by a human. Soon, dozens of oil drums emerge amid the river of grass. Each one packed to the brim with body parts.

FDLE special agent Amy Larson and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, share a bad feeling that extends beyond the horrifying nature of the grim discovery. They’ve seen this kind of sadistic killing before, and when a small beige horse is discovered at the bottom of one of the barrels, they know exactly what it means. The fourth horseman of the apocalypse rides a pale horse—and his name is Death.

With so many bodies to identify, connecting one victim to the next is easier said than done. But finding a pattern in the chaos might be the only way Amy and Hunter can zero in on the killer, testing their skills as agents—and their relationship—like never before. And when the disturbing trail of clues signals these slayings are just the beginning, the agents will have to return to where it all started before it’s too late. The apocalypse is coming, and Hunter and Amy have only one chance to stop it, even if it means sacrificing each other.

Review

Amy Larson and her partner, Hunter Forrest have been called into a body dump in the Everglades. They have come across this killer before. So when they find a toy horse, they know there is more to come and it is going to be a long process.

Amy and Hunter are a unique pair. I enjoy their chemistry, on and off the murder scenes. And when Amy becomes and target…LOOK OUT!

I can always count on this author keeping me captivated! This book has some crazy folks in it. I swear! Talk about a sadist! I love a book with religious undertones. This story is full of them…the apocalyptic horses….Geez! Graham definitely takes the reader down a path which is twisted!

Need a wicked thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today n

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

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Overview

The Most Anticipated 2024 Book Releases by Nerd Daily

Most Anticipated Crime Fiction Novels of 2024 by Novel Suspects

“[An] entertaining thriller [that] maintain[s] tension and intrigue through to the satisfying end. The author’s fans will devour this.” —Publishers Weekly

The Paris Apartment meets The Wrong Family in this thrilling tale of crime, passion and murder set in a run-down apartment complex packed with shady characters willing to go to deadly lengths to keep their darkest secrets from the stranger in their midst.

When Anna Hartley’s husband, Henry, calls her with a terrible, guilty confession, she can’t believe what she hears. It has to be a bad joke—the mild, predictable artist she married would never hurt a fly, let alone commit murder. But her confusion turns to horror when police find his body washed up on the banks of the Rio Grande. 

Desperate for answers to the millions of questions his untimely death has raised, Anna checks in to The Sycamores, the run-down motel turned apartment Henry rented as an art studio. As she absorbs every bit of gossip the eclectic mix of residents are willing to share about her husband and each other, she begins to piece together a picture of a very different man than the one she married, and the life he led behind her back. The more she learns, and the less sense things seem to make, she finds herself wondering: Did she ever really know Henry at all? 

But Henry’s secrets aren’t the only ones; as Anna’s search for clues expands, Cass, the mysterious, jaded motel manager, seems more and more determined to keep Anna in the dark. And when threatening letters start appearing at her door, Anna has to decide what’s more important—the truth, or her own safety.

Review

This story is told from two different narrators, Anna and Cass. Cass’ world has just fallen apart and she has taken a job at a rundown motel that has been turned into apartments. Anna’s husband has recently killed himself. She decides to move into the cheap apartment he kept as an art studio. This apartment is in this rundown hotel but she wants to understand why he kept this place.

There are quite a few characters in this tale. And I enjoyed every one. I loved the “trailer park” feel! The strangeness and the connections they have to each other is quite amusing. And the author uses each character to help uncover the truth about what is happening at this trailer park…uh..apartment complex!

This story weaves back and forth between Anna and Cass. They each have a different storyline which eventually comes together to catch a killer! Cass is my favorite…she is not really a good person but she just has a charisma you don’t want to miss!

Need a good thriller with unique characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

From bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jo Piazza, comes a transporting novel rooted in the author’s own family history about a long-awaited trip to Sicily, a disputed inheritance, and a family secret that some will kill to protect . . .

Sara Marsala barely knows who she is anymore after the failure of her business and marriage. On top of that, her beloved great-aunt Rosie passes away, leaving Sara bereft with grief. But Aunt Rosie’s death also opens an escape from her life and a window into the past by way of a plane ticket to Sicily, a deed to a possibly valuable plot of land, and a bombshell family secret. Rosie believes Sara’s great-grandmother Serafina, the family matriarch who was left behind while her husband worked in America, didn’t die of illness as family lore has it . . . she was murdered.

Thus begins a twist-filled adventure that takes Sara all over the picturesque Italian countryside as she races to solve a mystery and learn the story of Serafina—a feisty and headstrong young woman in the early 1900s thrust into motherhood in her teens, who fought for a better life not just for herself but for all the women of her small village. Unsurprisingly the more she challenges the status quo, the more she finds herself in danger.

As Sara discovers more about Serafina, she also realizes she is coming head-to-head with the same menacing forces that took down her great-grandmother. At once an immersive multigenerational mystery and an ode to the undaunted heroism of everyday women, The Sicilian Inheritance is an atmospheric, page-turning delight.

Review

Sara has lost her restaurant and then she lost her husband. She is truly at a crossroads. So, when her beloved aunt passes away and leaves her a letter telling her to head to Sicily. Sara jumps at it! Sicily and her family heritage end up being a bit more than she bargained for.

Sara is a character that is a bit lost and I loved her! Then there is her grandmother, Serafina. Serafina’s tale begins in the early 1900s. She is a healer…but it is complicated. Sara needs to find out what happened to her to gain her inheritance.

I enjoy a novel with dual timelines and this one is right in my wheelhouse. The only reason for the 4 star rating, it slows down a bit in the middle. I wanted this to unfold quicker. But, the atmospheric setting and the family secrets are not to be ignored!

Need a good family mystery tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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