reecaspieces

Overview

In 1934, a luxury cruise becomes a fight for survival as two women’s pasts collide on a round-trip voyage from New York to Havana in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s page-turning new novel inspired by the true story of the SS Morro Castle.

New York heiress Catherine Dohan seemingly has it all. There’s only one problem. It’s a lie. As soon as the Morro Castle leaves port, Catherine’s past returns with a vengeance and threatens her life. Joining forces with a charismatic jewel thief, Catherine must discover who wants her dead—and why.

Elena Palacio is a dead woman. Or so everyone thinks. After a devastating betrayal left her penniless and on the run, Elena’s journey on the Morro Castle is her last hope. Steeped in secrecy and a burning desire for revenge, her return to Havana is a chance to right the wrong that has been done to her—and her prey is on the ship.

As danger swirls aboard the Morro Castle and their fates intertwine, Elena and Catherine must risk everything to see justice served once and for all.

Review

Now, I am not going to lie, this author is a hit or miss for me. However, I did enjoy this one. But, it is not as good as The Last Train to Key West. (Her best book, in my opinion!). And, I know I am in the minority. And I will fight to get her books to preview because I love her covers and I know I will love the setting.

This story takes place almost exclusively on a ship. There is intrigue and deception right from the start. Catherine is an heiress or everyone thinks so. Her fiancé is rich and keeps her dripping with jewels. But he is a fraud! Elena is supposedly dead but she is out for revenge. Then there is the alluring jewel thief!

I enjoyed following all the characters and their deceptions. This novel clearly keeps the reader on their toes! Talk about a hunt for who is who and what is what!

Need a story which is fraudulent all the way to the end…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

From USA Today bestselling author Tif Marcelo comes a timeless tale of motherhood inspired by Little Women about one woman’s grief, hope, and second chance with the daughter she lost.

It’s been two years since Celine lost her daughter Libby. Desperate to escape her grief, Celine throws herself into her work, determined to be the strong, capable woman the world believes her to be. But there’s no fooling her family.

A shocking intervention brings an impossible choice: confront her grief or risk losing the family she still has. Reeling, Celine wonders what her life would have been like if she’d chosen her first love instead of her husband and avoided this pain altogether.

Celine wakes the following day and is shocked to realize that what-if has become reality. She’s with her high school sweetheart, her daughters aren’t quite her daughters, and her home is being rented by the daughter she thought she’d lost forever.

As she reconnects with Libby in this parallel world, Celine is forced to face the problems in her real life: her unwillingness to move forward, the tension that’s always rocked her family, and the hard truth that not everything can be fixed by a mother’s love.

Review

Celine has lost her daughter, Libby, to a terrible infection. She blames herself for not checking on her and being there for her. Her grief takes over and she is avoiding all aspects relating to Libby. Her family stages and intervention. Her children want their mother and her husband wants his wife back! Celine must make a choice…face her grief or lose her family.

Well, this is a bit out of the ordinary for this author. I have been a big fan of Tif since I read North To You years ago. This is not at all what I expected. I expected a sweet romance. Well! This has a little romance but this is about grief, family and rebuilding your life together after an unimaginable death.

I love when an author expands their abilities and their talents. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. This one worked. Now, it is a bit out there with a “parallel universe”. But if your smart you will know exactly what “universe” it is! And I will be honest, I really was a bit hesitant at first but I enjoyed Celine and all her emotions. Plus, I trusted Tif to take me on a good ride! And she sure did!

Need a unique, emotional story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

A captivating and candid memoir from one of the most beloved and colorful figures in Toronto Blue Jays history

Over 11 years and two separate managerial stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, John Gibbons endeared himself to fans with his folksy manner and his frequent battles with umpires: “Here comes Gibby!” Winning helped too. Under Gibbons’s management, the Jays made the American League Championship Series in 2015, ending a 22-year playoff drought; then they did it again in 2016. Along the way the team defied odds, won over a nation, and with one flip of a bat produced one of the most iconic moments in MLB history. Now, in his memoir, Gibby shares the story: an on-field career that didn’t pan out, but a managing career that did … eventually.

Raised in a military family, he played his first competitive baseball in Newfoundland and Labrador, and, with the family now in San Antonio, Texas, Gibby, a catcher, developed into a first-round draft pick of the New York Mets. While Gibbons only played 18 major league games, he did earn a World Series ring as the 1986 Mets bullpen catcher and knew all the characters from that team, including Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, and Gary Carter. In 1990, Gibby began his journey as a coach and manager. An old teammate, J.P. Ricciardi, hired him to work with the Jays, and he moved his way up the ranks and into the hearts of baseball fans.

Review

John “Gibby” Gibbons started his baseball career as a catcher. He only played 18 games. This did not stop him from being a great coach and manager. His relationship with his players and his intelligence lead to an impressive career.

John Gibbons has been an icon in professional baseball for years. So, I jumped at the chance to read this.

I enjoyed so much about this book! I have been a huge baseball fan my whole life. So, I just love reading about the quirks of the game. This book is full of famous names and the politics of the game. I laughed out loud in places and was surprised in others. Now, it is a bit choppy in the writing. But that could be because it is an arc and the kinks have not been worked out yet.

Need some good baseball stories…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

Weaves a spell of darkness that’s mysterious and magical, and binds it with a knot of deathless love.” —New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley on A Lullaby for Witches

In post–World War I England, a young woman inherits a mysterious library and must untangle its powerful secrets…

With the stroke of a pen, twenty-three-year-old Ivy Radcliffe becomes Lady Hayworth, owner of a sprawling estate on the Yorkshire moors. Ivy has never heard of Blackwood Abbey, or of the ancient bloodline from which she’s descended. With nothing to keep her in London since losing her brother in the Great War, she warily makes her way to her new home.

The abbey is foreboding, the servants reserved and suspicious. But there is a treasure waiting behind locked doors: a magnificent library. Despite cryptic warnings from the staff, Ivy feels irresistibly drawn to its dusty shelves, where familiar works mingle with strange, esoteric texts. And she senses something else in the library too, a presence that seems to have a will of its own.

Rumors swirl in the village about the abbey’s previous owners, about ghosts and curses, and an enigmatic manuscript at the center of it all. And as events grow more sinister, it will be up to Ivy to uncover the library’s mysteries in order to reclaim her own story—before it vanishes forever.

Lush, atmospheric and transporting, The Last Heir to Blackwood Library is a skillful reflection on memory and female agency, and a love letter to books from a writer at the height of her power.

Review

Ivy is now an heiress with a title. She is the last of the Hayworth line and she is completely clueless. She had no idea about anybody in her family owning such an estate. But, who turns this down right!?!? She takes off to Yorkshire to see her new home. But, things are not as they seem. The staff is acting strangely and she is not exactly sure what to make of this strange estate.

I have been a fan of this author for years! She is always creepy and just a tad bit magical! This book has it all! I loved this weird abbey with its hidden secrets and ghosts! The library in this book transported me every time Ivy walked in there. I could just picture it along with the dusty smell.

Now, I did feel Ivy is a bit too manufactured. She is intelligent but she just doesn’t make wise decisions. But, this was just a minor annoyance, basically, because there is Ralph. Ralph is my favorite character in this whole book. He is a mystery himself. And I would love for Hester Fox to write a book just about him.

Need a dang good historical mystery with a strange manuscript and a few ghosts to keep you company…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

In the village of Fairhaven—nestled between Washington state’s Bellingham Bay and the Cascade Mountains, home to writers’ retreat Pines & Quill—friends and family have gathered for the union of Sean McPherson and Emma Benton. Sean has been working with the FBI and local police to help solve crimes, particularly murders bearing the mark of crime boss Georgio “The Bull” Gambino. Emma, who has just learned to walk again, has begun to feel at home and hopes to one day raise a family.

But just as the festivities begin and corks fly, an explosion shatters everything, killing one and injuring others. From Bellingham to San Francisco and New Orleans, the chase is on to discover who’s dead set on ensuring the newlyweds don’t live happily ever after.

The writers currently in residence at Pines & Quill include a vineyard owner, a Bryn Mawr College professor, a special education teacher accompanied by her seeing-eye dog, and an intuitive who can’t—or won’t—identify the killer. Gambino has a knack for finding people in even the most inaccessible places to do his bidding. Could one of the writers be on his payroll?

Review

Sean and Emma are getting married. They have the perfect setting of Pines and Quill, a writing retreat in the mountains of Washington State. But, just as the reception gets into full swing an explosion rocks their world and threatens their new life together.

There is so much that I love about this series. I love the atmospheric setting of Pines and Quill. I love the dog Hemingway. But most of all, I love Sean McPherson. He is smart, kind and charismatic! And he has met the love of his life, Emma. These two are fantastic together!

This story had me loving the chase! I swear I finished this in one day! The intensity and the guessing game is on target to keep you glued to the pages.

I do think this is my favorite book out of the three. I do recommend reading them in order but it’s not mandatory. You can see my reviews here: Indelible , Iconoclast.

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

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

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THE PERFUMIST OF PARIS

Author: Alka Joshi
ISBN: 9780778386148

Publication Date: March 28, 2023

Publisher: MIRA Books

BOOK SUMMARY:
“A stunning portrait of a woman blossoming into her full power…this is Alka Joshi’s best book yet!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

From the author of Reese’s Book Club Pick The Henna Artist, the final chapter in Alka Joshi’s New York Times bestselling Jaipur trilogy takes readers to 1970s Paris, where Radha’s budding career as a perfumer must compete with the demands of her family and the secrets of her past.

Paris, 1974. Radha is now living in Paris with her husband, Pierre, and their two daughters. She still grieves for the baby boy she gave up years ago, when she was only a child herself, but she loves being a mother to her daughters, and she’s finally found her passion—the treasure trove of scents.

She has an exciting and challenging position working for a master perfumer, helping to design completely new fragrances for clients and building her career one scent at a time. She only wishes Pierre could understand her need to work. She feels his frustration, but she can’t give up this thing that drives her.

Tasked with her first major project, Radha travels to India, where she enlists the help of her sister, Lakshmi, and the courtesans of Agra—women who use the power of fragrance to seduce, tease and entice. She’s on the cusp of a breakthrough when she finds out the son she never told her husband about is heading to Paris to find her—upending her carefully managed world and threatening to destroy a vulnerable marriage.

Review

Radha has two beautiful young girls and a wonderful job as a perfumist for a prestigious perfume house in Paris. However, her husband is wanting her to stay home and raise the girls and to give up her career. When she receives a promotion and is asked to travel to India to do some research, this puts her marriage in jeopardy.

I absolutely loved the first book in the series, The Henna Artist. The second book, The Secret Keeper was just ok. This one was in between.

I really enjoyed learning about the perfumes. I have read several books about this process, so this really captivated me. However, I felt the author spent a great deal of time on the subject of Pierre and the issue of his wife working and I was not a fan of Pierre. So, that may have been part of the problem. But, I did love Radha and her intelligence. I just felt the plot needed a little more.

Need a story which will have you reminiscing and remembering some fascinating smells…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

Author BIO:

Born in India and raised in the U.S. since she was nine, Alka Joshi has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. Joshi’s debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a NYT bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick, was Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, & is in development as a TV series. Her second novel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur (2021), is followed by The Perfumist of Paris (2023). Find her online at http://www.alkajoshi.com.

SOCIAL:
Author Website: http://www.alkajoshi.com TWITTER: @alkajoshi
FB: @alkajoshi2019
Insta: @thealkajoshi

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18257842.Alka_Joshi

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The Jaipur Trilogy

Book 1: The Henna Artist

Book 2: The Secret Keeper of Jaipur

Book 3: The Perfumist of Paris