When the Apricot Blooms

Author: Gina Wilkinson
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Kensington, 2021
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: At night, in Huda's fragrant garden, a breeze sweeps in from the desert encircling Baghdad, rustling the leaves of her apricot leaves and carrying warning of visitors at her gate. Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, lives in fear of the mukhabarat - the secret police who watch and listen for any scrap of information that can be used against America and its allies. They have ordered her to befriend Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador's wife. Huda has no wish to be an informant, but fears for her teenaged son, who may be forced to join a deadly militia. Nor does she know that Ally has dangerous secrets of her own.

Huda's former friend, Rania, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family's wealth is gone, and Rania too is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads. As the women's lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families.

Review: This book is too intense to be read this time of the year, but it's so good. I cannot imagine living under these circumstances. I had to take breaks and set this book aside at times to disconnect, but I definitely recommend this novel.

The Ballerinas

Author: Rachel Kapelke-Dale
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: St Martin's Publishing, 2021
Pages: 304
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Thirteen years ago, Delphine Leger abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg - taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers, Lindsay and Margaux. Now thirty-six years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career - and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changes while she's been away. . .and some secrets can't stay buried forever.

Review: It's funny how circumstances and real life play into the types of books that appeal. I was a big fan of historical fiction for decades, and I do still love that genre. However, with our own historic event (COVID pandemic) still raging, I'm not in the mood necessarily to read about hard times in history.

This genre, dark fiction in which the characters are plagued by poor decisions and the far-reaching, long ranging ramifications, is my jam these days. The Ballerinas is along the lines of Luckiest Girl Alive, and a more recent book I read, Nice Girls.

Christmas in the Alps

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 176
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: After a time of heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a tantalizing letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Ever practical, Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. Despite her deep-rooted fear of flying, Simone boards a jet to travel to Paris at Christmastime to uncover the truth.

During the long flight, Simone meets the charming Kyle Larsson, who's on his way to France to become an apprentice clockmaker. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone's family's clock factory may lead to the discovery of the family treasure. . . and so much more.

Review: I didn't realize this was a new release when I picked it up from the library. I enjoyed Melody Carlson's novel, and this was exactly what I come to expect from her. It was cute, and nice little escape. One thing is certain, I now want to visit the Alps.

The Christmas Light

Author: Donna VanLiere
Genre: Christmas / Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2014
Pages: 224
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: In the small town of Grandon, five very different people discover the true meaning of Christmas. Ryan and Jennifer are both single parents, struggling with their own losses and heartache as they attempt to move forward in the present while still holding onto the memories, joy, and heartache of the past. Sixteen-year-old Kaylee is faced with a life-changing situation that has affected her family. Stephen and Lily are happily married and ready to start a family. All of them are facing their own struggles, and all are finding their way through the dark. When they are brought together for a rather unconventional church Nativity, they will learn that with strength, courage, and love, there is always hope.

Review: What a sweet Christmas story. This was exactly what you expect from this genre, and I loved it. I would read more by this author.

Heard it in a Love Song

Author: Tracey Garvis Graves
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 304
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Love doesn't always wait until you're ready.

Layla Hilding is thirty-five and recently divorced. Struggling to break free from the past - her glory days as the lead singer in a band and a ten-year marriage to a man who never put her first - Layla's newly found independence feels a lot like loneliness.

Then there's Josh, the single dad whose daughter attends the elementary school where Layla teaches music. Recently separated, he's still processing the end of his twenty-year marriage to his high school sweetheart. He chats with Layla every morning at school and finds himself thinking about her more and more.

Equally cautious and confused about dating in a world that favors apps over meeting organically, Layla and Josh decide to be friends with the potential for something more. Sounds sensible and way too simple - but when two people are on the rebound, is it heartbreak or happiness that's a love song away?

Review: I plucked Heard it in a Love Song off the "New Fiction" library display shelf. I loved the title. It's a break from the daughter/wife/sister trend publishers have embraced. Also, the cover of this book looked like November to me with the muted gold and fall bouquet. Don't be fooled; it's not just a pretty face.

This book was fantastic and for me, 100% relatable. 

I'm divorced.
I was a single mom.
I recovered from an unhealthy relationship.
I'm married to a music teacher.
Said music teacher has morning (drop-off) duty.

This book was written for me.

And secondly, for every reader who loved Daisy Jones and The Six. And, alos, for every reader who didn't becaus this has the same feel, but itsn't an interview format.

This author has written many books, but I've never heard of her until now. One of my reading goals now for 2022 is to read all of Tracey Garvis Graves' books.

St, Anthony's Chapel

Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: J. Pohl Associates
Pages: 82
Rating: Recommend

Review: My son attends CCD / Sunday School at Most Holy Name School located near St. Anthony's Chapel. While I've known about chapel and the relics it holds, I hadn't take the time to find it until now. It's a beautiful chapel, and I enjoyed reading its history in this little book that my mom picked up at the gift shop across the street.

The Pilot's Daughter

Author: Meredith Jaeger
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 352
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: In the final months of World War II, San Francisco newspaper secretary Ellie Morgan should be planning her own wedding and subsequent exit from the newsroom into domestic life. Intsead, Ellie who harbors dreams of having her own column, is using all the skills she's learned as a would-be reporter to try to uncover any scrap of evidence that her missing pilot father is still alive. But when she discovers a stack of love letters from a woman who is not her mother in his possessions, her already fragile world goes into a tailspin, and she vows to find out the truth about the father she loves - and the woman who loved him back.

When Ellie arrives on her aunt Iris' doorstep, clutching a stack of letters and uttering a name Iris hasn't heard in decades, Iris is terrified. She's hidden her past as a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl from her family, and her experiences in New York City in the 1920s could reveal much more than the origin of her brother-in-law's alleged affair. Iris' heady deays in the spotlight weren't enough to outshine the darker underbelly of Jazz Age New York, and she's spent the past twenty years believing that her actions in those days led to murder.

Review: I loved this book. I loved the settings. I loved the characters. I loved the story. 

I was a little hesitant to read it because while I had enjoyed Boardwalk Summer immensely, I was disappointed that it was a rewrite of her debut novel, The Dressmaker's Dowry. The characters and time periods had changed, but the formula did not. 

I am happy to say, The Pilot's Wife is story unto itself. Thoroughly enjoyed. 

Buffalo Valley

Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: MIRA Books, 2009
Pages: 400
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Buffalo Valley, North Dakota, has a willl to survive, to prosper. And the outside world has discovered Buffalo Valley. A large retail conglomerate plans to move in, which would surely destroy the independent businesses. . .and maybe the town.

It's a season of change for Vaughn Kyle. Just out of the army, he's looking for a life to live - and waits for his reluctant fiance to make up her mind. Vaughn decides to visit Buffalo Valley and Hassie Knight. He was named after Hassie's son who died in Vietnam and she thinks of him as a surrogate son. He arrives at her store one snowy day and finds not Hassie but a young woman named Carrie Hendrickson.

Will the season bring peace and joy - to Vaughn and to the town?

As he begins to love Carrie, Vaughn questions his feelings for the woman he thought he loved. He wants to stay in Buffalo Valley and fight for its way of life. A life that's all about friends and family. 

Review: I read the other books in these series awhile ago, and I'm not sure how I missed this book's existence. I enjoyed this as I enjoy all of Debbie Macomber's books. 

It's been awhile since I read the others in the series, but Macomber did a good job reacquainting me with the residents of Buffalo Valley. I believe this started out as a trilogy, and a fourth book was added, this one.

The Dakota Series:
1. Dakota Born
2. Dakota Home
3. Always Dakota
4. Buffalo Valley

Westward Hearts

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers, 2012
Pages: 352
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Kentucky, 1854 - Elizabeth Martin has mourned her husband's death for three years, but now she feels ready to fulfill the dream they had shared - to take their two children west. The dream becomes reality when her middle-aged parents and bachelor brother surprise her with the news that they want to go as well.

After converting three of their best wagons to prairie schooners and thoroughly outfitting them, the little part travels from Kentucky to Kansas City, where they join a substantial wagon train. Elizabeth soon finds herself being drawn to the group's handsome guide, Eli Kincaide.

The long journal and deepening relationships challenge the travelers to their core, and Eli's mysterious past leaves Elizabeth with more questions than answers. She knows there's no turning back, but she wonders, "What have I gotten myself into?"

Review: I love reading Oregon Trail novels, and this was no exception. However, it is set in Melody Carlson's usual, everyone gets a happy ending tone. Probably not a realistic representation of life on the trail, but a good story and enjoyable novel. 

This is the first book in the Homeward on the Oregon Trail series, and I plan to continue reading.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Country

Author: William Anderson
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995
Pages: 120
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Laura Ingalls Wilder Country takes the millions of fans of the Little House books and the hit TV series on an enchanting tour of the real world of the well-loved author, visiting the people and places who inspired her classic books.

Review: Not my favorite biography about the Ingalls Family, but I did interesting information. I've been to her home at Rocky Ridge, Missouri so it was fun to read about that. I also knew Carrie Ingalls ended up in Keystone, SD since we happened upon the museum quite by accident.

The Lost Apothecary

Author: Sarah Penner
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Park Row Books, 2021
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary's fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary's in a stunning twist of fate - and not everyone will survive.

Review: My sister raved about this book, and told me I just had to read it. It isn't a novel I would choose on my own, but I decided to give it a try. I liked it. It wasn't the love affair my sister had, but it was good.

It's hard to write equally compelling past and present timelines, and this book was no exception. I really enjoyed the historical fiction as aspect of this, and returning to the present was jarring. I loved the mystery and allure of the past, as well as the characters. In contrast the present felt typical and ordinary. 

Pittsburgh's Ghosts

Author: Heather Frazier Behling
Genre: Non-Fiction 
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, 2008
Pages: 128
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Join the campfire crowd as you read about a spookier side of Pittsburgh. Meet disappearing students and witness bursting light fixtures at Washington & Jefferson College. Phone calls from the dead prove that the Steel City is filled with ghostly phenomena. Hear an eerie dead child's voice and ghastly growling noises at the St. Patrick's Cemetery in Oakdale. See shadowy figures at the psychiatric hospital in Bridgeville. Learn that ghosts have sleepovers in the towns of Bedford, Scenery Hill, and Harmony.

Review: Not only does this get a "Do Not Recommend" rating, it's probably the most poorly written book I have ever read. The ghost stories are told in a conversational tone that quite possibly was never read by another prior to publication. I am 100% confident my 9th grader has better writing skills.

This is one of those books that makes you wonder how some people get published, and why you haven't been yet. 

Really awful.

The stories themselves. . .most weren't any I hadn't heard before, but again, the writing is is so distracting, good luck hanging in there for the stories.

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

Author: Robert Dugoni
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Amazon Publishing, 2018
Pages: 448
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called "Devil Boy" or Sam "Hell" by his classmates; "God's will" is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by this mother's devout faith, his father's practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends.

Sam believed it was God who sent Ernie Cantwell, the only African American kid in his class, to be the friend he so desperately needed. And that it was God's idea for Mickie Kennedy to storm into Our Lady of Mercy like a tornado, uprooting every rule Sam had been taught about boys and girls.

Forty years later, Sam, a small-town eye doctor, is no longer certain anything was be design - especially not the tragedy that caused him to turn his back on his friends, his hometown, and the life he'd always known. Running from the pain, eyes closed, served little purpose. Now, as he looks back on his life, Sam embarks on a journey that will take him halfway around the world. This time, his eyes wide open - bringing into clear view that changed him, defined him, and made him so afriad, until he can finally see what truly matters.

Review: This book started getting rave reviews the minute it was released, but neither the cover nor the title "did it" for me so I never seriously considered reading it. However, here we are three years later, and people are still raving. I've seen very little less than stellar reviews. So, I gave in to the hype.

Okay, here's my review: YOU MUST READ THIS. It is exactly what everyone says it is, and has something for everyone. 

I'm so sad that I can never read this again for the very first time.

Fairy-Tale Forever

Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: MIRA Books, 2021
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Two books in one!

Cindy and the Prince: Cindy Territo cleans offices after hours to put herself through school, so there's no reason she should ever meet the executives. Then Cindy crashes the company's Christmas ball, dressed to impress, and she completely captures the attention of corporate VP Thorndike Prince. After a magical night together, Cindy flees. But Thorne is determined to uncover the woman who took his heart when she left at midnight.

Some Kind of Wonderful: Preschool teacher Judy Lovin will always put her family first, so when her father's business is threatened with a hostile takeover, Judy will do whatever she can to help. Their family's most ruthless enemy is John McFarland, a businessman used to getting his own way in his negotiations. But while they spend time together on his remote Caribbean island, it isn't long before Judy discovers that John is far from the beast he seemed to be. The smart, attractive man might even be someone she can love.

Review: Oh my. Books from the 80s are something to read, that's for sure. There is so much wrong with the male characters, but in the context of time and place, this was a typical portrayal of men in 80s fiction novels. We should be glad that for the most part, novelists have upped their game in how men and relationships are authored.

The Dressmaker's Dowry

Author: Meredith Jaeger
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Harper Collins Publisher, 2017
Pages: 384
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: San Francisco: 1876 - Immigrant dressmakers Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O'Brien struggle to provide food for their siblings while mending delicate clothing for the city's most affluent ladies. When wealthy Lucas Havensworth enters the shop, Hanna's future is altered forever. With Margaret's encouragement and the power of a borrowed green dress, Hanna dares to see herself as worthy of him. Then Margaret disappears, and Hanna turns to Lucas. Braving the gritty streets of the Barbary Coast and daring to enter the mansions of Nob Hill, Hanna stumbles upon Margaret's fate, forcing her to make a devastating decision. . .one that will echo through the generations.

San Francisco: Present Day - In her elegant Marina apartment overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, Sarah Havensworth struggles to complete the novel she quit her job for. Afraid to tell her husband of her writer's block, Sarah is also hiding a darker secret - one that has haunted her for fourteen years. Then a news headline from 1876 sparks inspiration: Missing Dressmakers believed to be Murdered. Compelled to discover what happened to Hannelore and Margaret, Sarah returns to her roots as a journalist. Will her beautiful heirloom engagement ring uncover a connection to Hanna Schaeffer? 

Review: I recently read Boardwalk Summer, and absolutely loved it. I was so excited to read Meredith Jaeger's other book, her debut novel, The Dressmaker's Dowry. As it turns out this author has a formulaic writing style. No doubt I would have loved The Dressmaker's Dowry had I read it first, and is a good book, but how disappointing to find out this author is a one-trick pony. I will be curious to see if she changes up her storytelling style if she publishes a third novel.

Now, as for a review of The Dressmaker's Dowry. I loved the setting, I felt uncomfortable knowing Sarah was keeping a secret and knowing it would eventually blow up in the novel. The past timeline was a bit farfetched, but this author knows how to move a story along.

Open Book

Author: Jessica Simpson
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: HarperCollins Publisher, 2020
Pages: 416 (9 discs)
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Jessica reveals for the first time her inner monologue and most intimate struggles. Guided by the journals she's kept since age fifteen, and brimming with her unique humor and down-to-earth humanity, Open Book is as inspiring as it is entertaining.

This was supposed to be a very different book. Five years ago, Jessica Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer, and nobody understood why. The truth is that she didn't want to lie.

Jessica couldn't be authentic with her readers if she wasn't fully honest with herself first.

Now, America's Sweetheart, preacher's daughter, pop phenomenon, reality tv pioneer, and the billion-dollar fashion mogul invites readers on a remarkable journey, examining a life that's blessed her with compassion to help others but also burdened her with an almost crippling need to please. Open Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to
share things she's never shared before.

First celebrated for her voice, she became one fo the most talked-about women in the world, whether for music or fashion, her relationship struggles, or as a walking blonde joke. But now, instead of being talked about, Jessica is doing the talking. Her book shares the wisdom and inspirations she's learned and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture cliches - "chicken or fish," "Daisy Duke," "football jinx," "mom jeans," "sexual napalm..." and more. Open Book is an opportunity to laugh and cry with a close friend, one that will inspire you to live your best, most authentic life, now that she is finally living hers.

Review: As far as celebrity memoirs go, I thought this was pretty good. She comes off a little out of touch, but still likeable. I also feel like she bared her soul and is a genuine person, unlike some celebrities, who in memoirs, still try to be who they think the public wants them to be.

I listened to the audio, and she had a pleasant reading voice.

I should point out that prior to reading this I knew who Jessica Simpson was, I could pick her out of a line up, I've seen her in the tabloids, but I couldn't have named a single song she sang. 

I came away from this wishing only the very best for her.

Around Troy Hill, Spring Hill, and Reserve Township

Author: James W. Yanosko and Edward W. Yanosko
Genre: Non-fiction
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing SC, 2011
Pages: 128
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: The Reserve Tract across from Fort Pitt was set aside in the 1780s by the government of Pennsylvania as a way of raising funds to pay the troops who had served during the American Revolutionary War. Although many areas in the commonwealth were set aside like this, few grew to such prominence as the distinct neighborhoods of Troy Hill, Spring Garden, Spring Hill, and Mount Troy. Photos of the German and Croatian immigrants who helped build a new nation by providing steel, leather products, food, and even beer; their spirit and work ethic set a standard that many Americans to this day try to emulate. The Heinz complex, the old E&O Brewery, St. Anthony's Chapel, Most Holy Name Church, and the Teutonia Mannerchor are several of the local landmarks that were established generations ago and are still being utilized today.

Review: A little backstory - I've known about the City of Pittsburgh neighborhood, Troy Hill. I actually live very close to it. However, it wasn't until my son started CCD at Most Holy Name that I was able to explore it. I fell in love once I spent some time driving the old, narrow streets, and seeing what's left of its glory days. Troy Hill also has great views of Pittsburgh.

I requested this book from my local library. As I was reading, one picture in particular caught my eye. The caption mentioned the subject's name, and her last name was the same as one of college roommates. I messaged her and asked, "a relative?" She replied that this woman was her great-aunt and proceeded to fill me on lots of family stories, and some of the history she knows of Troy Hill.

Another fun fact, the authors are my college roommate's cousins.

If you also have an interest in Troy Hill and the surrounding area, you may enjoy The Women of Troy Hill: The Back-Fence Virtues of Faith and Friendship. I read this years ago before I knew much about the area and before I started keeping this journal (blog).

The Guncle

Author: Steven Rowley
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 336
Rating: Highly Recommend 

Synopsis: Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for week long visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is, honestly, overwhelmed.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick's brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of "Guncle Rules" ready to do, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year old. Quickly realizing that parenting - even if temporary - isn't solved with treats and jokes, Patrick's eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being la
rger than life means you're unfailingly human.

Review: I expected this to be over-the-top and silly, but it surprised me by being heart felt and with some depth. Really a cute novel. This author knows kids, and I'm sure anecdotes he's picked up from the children in his life were woven into this story.

Sunflower Sisters

Author: Martha Hall Kelly
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 528
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Georgeanna "Georgy" Woolsey isn't meant for the world of lavish parties and the demure attitudes of women of her stature. So when war ignites the nation, Georgy follows her passion for nursing during a time when doctors considered women on the battlefront a bother. In proving them wrong, she and her sister Eliza venture from New York to Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg and witness the unparalleled horrors of slavery as they become involved in the war effort.

In the South, Jemma is enslaved on the Peeler Plantation in Maryland, where she lives with her mother and father. Her sister, Patience is enslaved on the plantation next door, and both live in fear of LeBaron, an abusive overseer who tracks their every move. When Jemma is sold by the cruel plantation mistress Anne-May at the same time the Union army comes through, she sees a chance to finally escape - but on by abandoning the family she loves

Anne-May is left behind to run Peeler Plantation when her husband joins the Union army and her cherished brother enlists with the Confederates. In charge of the household, she uses the opportunity to follow her own ambitions and is drawn into a secret Southern network of spies, finally exposing herself to the fate she deserves.

Review: I wasn't sure I had it in me right now to tackle a 500 page book, but I decided to start reading and see where it would take me.

Initially I found myself frustrated with following three women, but before long I realized the author's genius in telling this story this way. We often read novels that are told from a slaves perspective, or from that of the plantation owner, and so on, but rarely do we see the various walks of life represented in one novel in concurrent timelines.

I've seen other reviews that say this book needed to be edited down, but I disagree. This novel isn't about getting the story out, bing bang boom. It's about drawing you into these characters' lives and setting up time and place.

I love a great family saga, and if you're like me, allow me to highly recommend Roses, which is the novel to which I attribute this love of the genre.

NOTE: Sunflower Sisters is the third installment about the Woolsey Women. The first novel published was Lilac Girls, followed by Lost Roses which is actually a prequel to Lilac Girls. Sunflower Sisters is the prequel to the prequel. Got all that?

You do not have to read all three or read them in order to enjoy this "trilogy." It is geneology that connects them, not story lines.

Nice Girls

Author: Catherine Dang
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Harper Collins Publisher, 2021
Pages: 352
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Growing up in Liberty Lake, Minnesota, Mary was chubby, awkward, and smart. Earning a scholarship to an Ivy League school was her ticket out; she was going to do great things , and never look back. Three years later, "Ivy League Mary" is back - a thinner, cynical, and restless failure. Kicked out of Cornell at the beginning of her senior year, she won't tell anyone why. Working at the local grocery store, she sees familiar faces from high school and tries to make sense of her past and her life.

When beautiful, magnetic Olivia Willand, a rising social media star, goes missing, Mary - like the rest of Liberty Lake - becomes obsessed. Best friends in childhood, Mary and Olivia haven't spoken in years. Everyone admired Olivia, but Mary knows better than anyone that behind the Instagram persona hid a willful, manipulative girl with sharp edges. As the world worries for perfect, lovely Olivia, Mary can't help but hate her. She also believes that her disappearance is tied to another missing person - a nineteen-year-old girl named DeMaria Jackson whose disappearance has gone under the radar.

Who was Olivia Willand, and where did she go? What happened to DeMaria? As Mary delves deeper into the lives of the two missing girls, old wounds bleed fresh and painful secrets threaten to destroy everything.

May no one is really a nice girl, after all.

Review: When I saw this compared to Luckiest Girl Alive and All the Missing Girls, I almost stepped away from it. Did I really want to read another messed up/missing girl novel? Then, I reconsidered and decided to give it a shot. This book was so good!

I read this in one sitting unable to put it down. I was drawn into the story, felt for the main character, and there was enough mystery to keep me interested. 

This novel is dark, but uncovers so many truths about people too. It had me thinking about my own high school experiences and friends I had back then.

I paid attention to each character in this novel trying to decipher what had happened. My number one suspect turned out not to be involved at all. Lots of twists and a couple red herrings. Weird doesn't equal guilty.

This is Dang's debut novel and I cannot wait for more. This will be an author to watch.

A Clearing in the Wild

Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group, 2009
Pages: 384
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Young Emma Wagner chafes at the constraints of Bethel colony, an 1850s religious community in Missouri that is determined to remain untainted by the concerns on the world. A passionate and independent thinker, she resents the limitations placed on women, who are expected to serve in quiet submission. In a community where dissent of any form is discouraged, Emma finds it difficult to rein in her tongue - and often doesn't even try to do so, fueling the animosity between her and the colony's charismatic and increasingly autocratic leader, Wilhelm Keil.

Eventually Emma and her husband, Christian, are sent along with eight other men to scout out a new location in the northwest where the Bethelites can prepare to await "the last days." Christian believes they've found the ideal situation in Washington territory, when when Keil arrives with the rest of the community, he rejects Christian's choice in favor of moving to Oregon.

Emma pushes her husband to take this opportunity to break away from the group, but her longed-for influence brings unexpected consequences. As she seeks a refuge for her wounded faith, she learns that her passionate nature can be her greatest strength - if she can harness it effectively.

Review: At first this novel captured my attention, but I quickly became bored. Emma constantly pushes the envelope and bemoans the role of women in her world. Christian is repeatedly disappointed in her attitude and decisions, but then he ultimately comes around to her way of thinking. This is a cycle repeated throughout the book. 

I don't need my books to have deep meanings or literary significance, but in this genre I expect to learn something and/or be entertained. This was a total let-down.

I believe this is Book 1 of a trilogy, but I think it's safe to say, I won't be reading the others.

The Christmas Swap

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 176
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: All Emma Daley wants this holiday season is a white Christmas. But the young teacher and struggling musician sure can't find that in sunny Arizona. Luckily, there's someone living in a perfect mountain home in the Colorado Rockies looking to make a vacation trade this year.

Tyler Prescott is an in-demand songwriter and talented musician who put his own singing career on hold to write songs for celebrity acts to perform. When his mother convinces him to do a vacation trade for Christmas, he never imagined one of the house guests would be so sweet - or so strikingly pretty. Naturally, he decides to stick around, and, to get better acquainted, he poses as the house's caretaker. But when Emma's friend Gillian discovers his true identity and sets her sights on him, things get. . .messy.

Review: This book was super cute, and it's one of those novels you read and think, "I'm so sad I can never read this again for the very first time." Definitely predictable, and definitely typical Hallmark romance, but it was the right book at the right time.

The Last Thing He Told Me

Author: Laura Dare
Genre: Mystery / Fiction
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2021
Pages: 320
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Before Own Michael's disappears, he smuggles a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers - Owen's sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah's increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen's boss, as a US marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn't who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen's true identity - and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen's past, they soon realize they're also building a new future - one neither of them could have anticipated.

Review: I really enjoyed this novel and couldn't put it down. Some suspension of belief was required, but it kept my attention and kept me entertained. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'm looking forward to more.

Local Woman Missing

Author: Mary Kubica
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Park Row Books, 2021
Pages: 353
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah vanish just blocks from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.

Now, eleven years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone want to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they'll find. . .

Review: What a page turner. I was hooked very early on. I gave this 4 stars because 1) I never saw "it" coming, and 2) all loose ends were tied. Initially I thought I hope to never read a book as messed up as this one ever again, but then I realized this is just one case where one bad decision leads to another, and then it just spirals from there. These characters were as flawed as you and I, and I think that was part of what kept me going as well.

Boardwalk Summer

Author: Meredith Jaeger
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins Publisher, 2018
Pages: 384
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Santa Cruz, Summer 1940: When auburn-haird Violet Harcourt is crowned Miss California on the boardwalk of her hometime, she knows she is one step closer to her cherished dream: a Hollywood screen test. But Violet's victory comes with a price - discord in her seemingly perfect marriage - and she grapples with how much more she is willing to pay.

Summer 2007: Single mother Marisol Cruz lives with her parents in the charming beach cottage that belonged to her grandfather, Ricardo, once a famed performer on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Drawn to the town's local history and the quaint gazebo where her grandparents danced beneath the stars, Mari sells raffle tickets at the Beach Boardwalk Centennial Celebration, and meets Jason, a California transplant from Chicago.

When Mari discovers the obituary of Violet Harcourt, a beauty queen who died too young, she and Jason are sent on a journey together that will uncover her grandfather's lifelong secret - his connection to Violet - a story of tragedy and courage that will forever transform them.

Review: I absolutely loved this book. It had so much substance, and the links between past and present made sense. It's been awhile since I read a book I didn't want to put down.

I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

The Paper Palace

Author: Miranda Cowley Heller
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2021
Pages: 400
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: It is a perfect July morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at "The Paper Palace" - the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out of the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she has always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn't forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity.

Review: I liked the execution of this novel better than the story. Lots of flashbacks, but they worked to tell the present-day story. There were elements of the story I liked. The author brought the Cape Code area to life, as well as the paper palace itself. It as an interesting cast of characters, but I had no trouble keeping them all straight. 

The final flash from the past to present was surprising and satisfyingly done. This book also gave me the ending I wanted.

The Paper Palace is full of possible triggers, but it kept me turning pages.

Five Days Gone

Author: Laura Cumming
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Scribner, 2019
Pages: 320
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: In the fall of 1929, when Laura Cumming's mother was three years old, she was kidnapped from a beach on the Lincolnshire coast of England. There were no screams when she was taken, suggesting the culprit was someone familiar to her, and when she turned up again in a nearby village several days later, she was found in perfect health and happiness. No one was every accused of the crime. The incident quickly faded from her memory, and her parents never discussed it. To the contrary, they deliberately hid it from her, and she did not learn of it for a half a century.

This was not the only secret her parents kept from her. For many years, while raising her in a draconian isolation and protectiveness, they also hid the fact that she'd been adopted, and that shortly after the kidnapping, her name was changed from Grace to Betty.

Review: I honestly don't know why the author, and maybe more importantly the publisher, thought there was a story here. The title and synopsis makes it seem like this will be more compelling than it actually is. It's family lore, and for an outsider there is a lot of unimportant details and musings. Restructuring this novel would have done wonders for its readability, but again, I'm not sure it needed to be a published book to begin with.

The Winter Guest

Author: Pam Jenoff
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: MIRA, 2014
Pages: 352
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Life is a constant struggle for the eighteen-year-old Nowak twins as they raise their three younger siblings in rural Poland under the shasow of the Nazi occupation. The constant threat of arrest has made everyone in their village a spy, and turned neighbor against neighbor. Though rugged, independent Helena and pretty, gentle Ruth couldn't be more different, they are staunch allies in protecting their family from the threats the war brings closer to the their doorstep with each passing day.

Then Helena discovers an American paratrooper stranded outside their small mountain village, wounded, but alive. Risking the safety of herself and her family, she hides Sam - a Jew - but Helena's concern for the American grows into something much deeper. Defying the perils that render a future together all but impossible, Sam and Helena make plans for the family to flee. But Helena is forced to contend with the jealousy her choices have sparked in Ruth, culminating in a singular act of betrayal that endangers them all, and setting in motion a chain of events that will reverberate across continents and decades.

Review: Pam Jenoff wrote my favorite book of 2017, The Orphan's Tale, but the other two novels I read that she's written weren't on that level. This particular novel opens in present day and then flashes back, a technique I usually love. It's always good to know the main character is going to survive World War II.

Something about this novel moved slowly. I was never fully drawn in, anxiously turning pages. I hadn't realized that I could in fact read a World War II novel and not have my heart race, or be reduced to tears at some point. The constant push and pull of the main characters, twin sisters, over-complicated the story and didn't propel it forward.

I'm not giving up on Jenoff just yet though, and you can expect to read more reviews of her books in the future.

Other Books by Pam Jenoff:
The Orphan's Tale
The Lost Girls of Paris
The Kommandant's Girl

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie

Author: Marie Benedict
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2020
Pages: 288
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy pond, the only clues some tire tracks nearby and a fur coat left in the car - strange for a frigid night. Her World War I husband and daughter have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and England unleashes and unprecedented manhunt to find the up-and-coming mystery author. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming amnesia and providing no explanations for her time away.

The puzzle of those missing eleven days has persisted. What is real, and what is mystery? What role did her unfaithful husband play, and what was he not telling investigators.

Review: This is my favorite Marie Benedict book to date. I felt these characters come to life, and Benedict finally dove headlong into a subject instead of staying on the surface. Really enjoyed this novel, although I would really love to know where Mrs. Christie went. The details in this novel are plausible, but I want to know.

Other Marie Benedict novels:
Carnegie's Maid
The Only Woman in the Room

The Christmas Shoppe

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2011
Pages: 176
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: The small town of Parrish Springs is not ready for Matilda Honeycutt. A strange older woman with scraggly gray hair and jewelry that jangles as she walks, Matilda is certainly not the most likely person to buy the old Barton Building on the town's quaint main street. When it becomes apparent that her new shop doesn't fit the expectations of Parrish Springs' residents, a brouhaha erupts. After all, Christmas is approaching, and the last thing this town needs is a junky shop run by someone who looks and acts like a gypsy. But as townsfolk venture into the strange store, they discover that old memories can bring new life and healing.

Review: Melody Carlson has been one of my favorite authors throughout this pandemic, but this one didn't do it for me. At only 176 it was long enough.

All Summer Long

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2016
Pages: 320
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: Tia D'Amico is thrilled to move to San Francisco to help her aunt transform an old luxury yacht into an upscale floating restaurant. What's not to love? Sunset dinner cruises, upscale wedding receptions - the possibilities are endless and far more appetizing than staying in a monotonous job in her Podunk hometown. Besides, some of her best memories are tied to San Francisco - especially the memory of Leo Parker, her crush from a long-ago sailing camp.

When the self same Leo Parker turns out to be the yacht's captain, Tia is floating on air. But will it all come crashing down around her when she discovers his heart belonw to someone else.

Review: I really enjoy Melody Carlson's novels, but this particular one was a miss. The plot was weak to the point of being annoying to read. The main characters are in a love triangle and it takes entirely too wrong to resolve. Secondly, one of the characters has an "issue" that should have come to light years earlier. In this situation and circumstances it's impossible to believe she was able to hide it like she did.

This genre of chick lit isn't meant to mirror real life, but it does need to be believable at least until the reader is able to suspend their belief, and this just didn't strike that sweet spot.

The Strawberry Hearts Diner

Author: Carolyn Brown
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Pages: 286
Rating: Do Not Recommend 

Synopsis: Being broke, unemployed, and stranded back in the tiny town of Pick, Texas, was not part of Jancy Wilson's plan. Yet here she is, watching her car literally go up in smoke - along with her last-ditch hope of staying with her cousin in Louisiana. When Jancy spies a Help Wanted sign hanging in the window of the quaint Strawberry Hearts Diner, the memories of the two years she spent there as a teenager - and the lure of the diner's beloved strawberry tarts - are enough to draw her in and plant her feet - but only temporarily.

Raised by parents who refused to settle anywhere for long, Jancy has never known what it is to have roots. Now that Jancy's swept up by the warmth and character of this quirky little community - and by the pull of an old crush - it's beginning to feel like home. She's making friends and even discovering the sweetness of falling in love. But when the town is threatened, Jancy knows it will take more than its legendary tarts to save it. Can she fight for this little Texas town-knowing she might not stay forever. 

Review: This is easy reading and a cute story, but the vernacular was just too much for me. This was written in a Texas stereotype. There are better authors in this genre, for example, Melody Carlson.

Once Upon a Summertime

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2015
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend 

Synopsis: Managing the Value Lodge in her hometown was not what Anna Gordon had in mind when she set out in the hospitality industry. But it's a safe choice for a woman whose childhood was anything but stable. Out of the blue, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent herself by moving to New York City, where she hopes for a management position at a stylish new boutique hotel. The big city is full of surprises - not the least of which is Sean O'Neil. Her childhood crush has applied for the very same position!

Review: This book was everything I like about Melody Carlson's writing. It's a cute, predictable escape and I read it while on vacation in Florida.

I identified with Anna and her career struggles and insecurities. I liked this book a lot.

This is book #1 in the Follow Your Heart series, but it's not necessary to read the books in order - I didn't, I started with #3, Under a Summer Sky, not realizing it was even part of a series.

Follow Your Heart series:
Book 1: Once Upon a Summertime (set in New York City)
Book 2: All Summer Long (set in San Francisco)
Book 3: Under a Summer Sky (set in Savannah)

The Kiss Quotient

Author: Helen Hoang

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2018
Pages: 352
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases - a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by a pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice - with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner who can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the box on her lesson plan - from foreplay to more-than-missionary position. . .

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but crave all of the things he's making her feel. Their no-nonsense parternship starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic.

Review: There is quite a lot of graphic sex in this novel - consider yourself forewarned. That said, there is a larger message here, and I enjoyed the more substantive parts of this novel. Maybe let's not tell my mother I read this one :-)

A Wreath of Snow

Author: Liz Curtis Higgs
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group, 2012
Pages: 212
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: All Margaret Campbell wants for Christmas is a safe journey home. When her plans for a festive holiday with her family in Stirling crumble beneath the weight of her brother's bitterness, the young schoolteacher wants nothing more than to return to the students she loves and the town house she calls home.

Then an unexpected detour places her in the path of Gordon Shaw, a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow, who struggles under a burden of remorse and shame.

When the secret of their shared history is revealed, will it leave them tangled in a knot of regret? Or might their past hold the threads that bind their future together?

Review: A question came up in my book club this week about reading seasonal books in the "correct" season. A good author and a good story can transport me so it doesn't matter that it's July - I was transported to December 1894 in Victorian England.

Totally predictable, but sweet, this was a fast, enjoyable story. 

Under a Summer Sky

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2017
Pages: 320
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: High school art teacher Nicole Anderson is looking forward to a relaxing summer in Savannah, house-sitting and managing an art gallery for a family friend. The house is luxurious in a way that only old money could make it, and the gallery promises interesting days in a gorgeous setting. Yet it isn't long before her ideal summer turns into more than she bargained for: a snooty gallery employee who's determined to force her out, a displaced adolescent roosting in the attic, and two of Nicole's close childhood friends - who also happen to be brothers - vying for her attention.

With a backdrop of a beautiful historical city, incredible architecture, and even an alleged ghost or two, combined with the opportunity for romance. . .anything can happen!

Review: I read this not realizing it's the third book in a trilogy, but I also looked up the other two and it appears each book is about a different person so I think it's okay to read them out of order.

In typical Carlson style, this was a fun story. I thoroughly enjoyed my escape to Savannah.

Follow Your Heart series:
Book 1: Once Upon a Summertime (set in New York City)
Book 2: All Summer Long (set in San Francisco)
Book 3: Under a Summer Sky (set in Savannah)

Looking for Jane

Author: Judith Redline Coopey
Genre: Fiction    

Publisher: Fox Hollow Press, 2013
Pages: 244
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: "The nuns use this as their measuring stick: who your people are. Well, what if you don't have no people? Or any that you of? What then? Are you doomed?" This is the nagging question of fifteen-year-old Nell's life. 

Born with a cleft palate and left a foundling on a doorstep of a convent, she yearns to know her mother, who name, she knows, was Jane. When the Mother Superior tries to pawn her off to a mean looking farmer and his beaten down wife, Nell opts for the only alternative she can see: she runs away. A chance encounter with a dime novel exhorting the exploits of Calamity Jane, heroine of the west, gives Nell the purpose of her life: to find Calamity Jane, who Nell is convinced is her mother. 

Her quest takes her down rivers, up rivers and across the Badlands to Deadwood, South Dakota and introduces her to soot, a big, loveable black dog, and Jeremy Chatterfield, a handsome young Englishman who isn't particular about how he makes his way, as long as he doesn't have to work for it. Together they trek across the country meeting charactes as wonderful and bizarre as the adventure they seek, learning about themselves and the world along the way. 

Review: This novel had a Huckleberry Finn and This Tender Land vibe to it, and while I wasn't a fan of those books, I loved this one. It was fast moving and entertaining. I read this while on vacation in the Cleveland, Ohio area and it was the perfect way to end each busy day.

Christmas in Winter Hill

Author: Melody Carlson
Genre: Fiction / Christmas
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group, 2019
Pages: 176
Rating: Highly Recommend

Synopsis: Krista Galloway is not a fan of Christmas. After her rough childhood in multiple foster homes, the holiday season just brings too many bad memories to the surface. But when she accepts a job as a city manager in the mountain town of Winter Hill, Washington, Christmas is part of the deal. The small town is famous for its Christmasville celebration, something that the city manager. . .well, manages.

As she tries to make her tiny apartment feel like home for her and her eight-year-old daughter, Emily, Krista begins to wonder if this move was a mistake. She doesn't always feel welcomed in the close-knit town. and Emily continually wonders, "Where's the snow?" Can a friendly stranger and his family help restore Krista's Christmas spirit before the big day?

Review: I love Melody Carlson's stories. They're easy to fall into, and I am totally transported to the locale. I went for Christmas in July with this selection.