Review: Forever Beach by Shelley Noble

Forever Beach

by Shelley Noble

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 416

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  
Two women…
One little girl…
Can they forgive the past in order to ensure the future of an innocent child…?

Once a foster child herself, Sarah Hargreave can’t wait to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Sarah longs to give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. She’s put her own friendships and even her relationship with Wyatt, her longtime lover, on hold in order to give Leila her full attention. 

When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she’s come to love as her own. Convinced the mother is still addicted to drugs, Sarah and her social worker enlist the help of high profile family lawyer, Ilona Cartwright. But when they meet, Sarah recognizes her as Nonie Blanchard who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward Sarah who she believes abandoned her when she needed her most.

Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.

Kritters Thoughts:  Women can be friends and be the biggest support system for each other and this book reminded me that at moments no one else is a better call when you need to vent or an opinion!  Sarah, Reesa, Ilona and Karen are all interconnected and each needs something from someone else in their group.  I loved reading women supporting women.

The other big thing this book taught me was the ins and outs of foster care.  I don't know that I had ever read a book that dealt solely on foster care and not adoption.  From both the perspective of the soon to be mother with a daughter from foster care to the woman who works as a caseworker "in the system."  I loved reading both sides of the coin as a woman is trying to get her daughter out of the system and the caseworker who is trying her hardest to keep her life and job going forward.

I have now read four Shelley Noble books and have rated them 4 stars or above, so I am officially a Shelley Noble fan and need to read her backlist and at the same time can't wait for what comes next!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

What a sad week and weekend of reading.  A rough week at home - dog at emergency vet and rough week at work - its busy and can't tell you why!  AND a busy weekend - Nationals baseball game and a LulaRoe party.  SO not a lot of reading occurred!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan
Forever Beach by Shelley Noble

Currently Reading:

A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi

Next on the TBR pile:
June by Miranda Beverly Whitemore

Review: By the Numbers by Jen Lancaster

By the Numbers

by Jen Lancaster

Publisher: NAL

Pages: 304

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Actuary Penny Sinclair has a head for business, and she always makes rational decisions. Knowing that 60% of spouses cheat and 50% of marriages end in divorce, she wasn't too surprised when her husband had an affair. (That he did so with a woman their daughter's age? Well, that part did sting a bit.) She just made sure she got everything in the divorce, including their lovely old Victorian house. And as soon as her middle daughter has her hipster-fabulous wedding in the backyard, she's trading it in for a condo in downtown Chicago...

Well within the average market time in her area, Penny gets an offer on the house. But then life happens. Her children, her parents and her ex come flying back to the nest, all in need of Penny's emotional and financial support. Spread thin, Penny becomes the poster child for the sandwich generation, when all she really wanted to do was make managing director, buy a white couch, and maybe go on a Match.com date...

Kritters Thoughts:  I love Jen Lancaster.  I love her memoir style books.  After reading this book, I have read two out of the four fiction books that she has written and so far I am a fan of her fiction too!

Penny Sinclair is now a divorced mother of three children who have all left her in an empty nest.  They have all come home for the wedding of one of her daughters and when the gang gets back together - drama ensues!  Not only do the children return, but her ex husband returns with his new much younger lady.

I loved this book.  I loved how it included stories from the past in an interesting way, they were woven into the main story in just the right way.  

Jen Lancaster just knows how to write.  I like how she creates her characters and then how they interact, sometimes it feels so real that it makes me want to befriend or even kick some of them!  I love the predicaments that Jen Lancaster gets her characters in and out of.  

I need to move the other fiction by Jen Lancaster up my TBR pile!


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

Sleepless in Manhattan

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 464

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Cool, calm and competent, events planner Paige Walker loves a challenge. After a childhood spent in and out of hospitals, she’s now determined to prove herself—and where better to take the world by storm than in the exhilarating bustle of Manhattan? But when Paige is let go from the job she loves, she must face her biggest challenge of all—going it alone.

Except launching her own events company is nothing compared to hiding her outrageous crush on Jake Romano—her brother’s best friend, New York’s most in-demand date and the only man to break her heart. When Jake offers Paige’s fledgling company their big chance, their still-sizzling chemistry starts giving her sleepless nights. But can she convince the man who trusts no one to take a chance on forever?

Kritters Thoughts:  The first full book in the series, but the second story from this "world", but it is based on a different character than the first book.  Paige Walker makes a brief appearance in the novella in the first book and she is the focus of this book.  She thinks she is headed for a promotion and instead her and her two friends are laid off from an event planning company - where she actually loved her job, maybe not her boss, but at least the job.  After a moment to breath and take in the news, she decides to open her own company and with the help of her friends, her brother and a long time crush business is open and love may be in the air!

Like all romance books, this one can be predicted from page one and as I have said before that is just fine with me!  I don't mind that I knew where we would end up at the end, but the journey is always fun and enjoyable.  

Of course, I have to say that this book definitely included some sexy times, but they fit in the story and didn't overtake the plot.  Read this book for the plot and skim over the sexy times if they aren't your cup of tea!

I loved this book so much more than novella and because of this am excited to continue with this series and will follow and read along as they come out.  I am hooked!  


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel (and there will be one!)

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Midnight at Tiffany's by Sarah Morgan

Midnight at Tiffany's

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 81

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Matilda is a New York waitress by day, but an aspiring author by night – and she loves to write about kickass heroines!

So when she meets gorgeous millionaire Chase Adams, she decides to channel them and act on their sizzling attraction! One magical night later, she's living the dream, but will a trip to Tiffany's make it a reality?

Kritters Thoughts: A romance novella that was a kick off for a series.  I will review book one in the series tomorrow.

First let me say that I went into this book knowing that it was a novella and the pages would be limited.  Let me also preface that I love a good romance and don't read them often because I like them in small doses, a romance here and there.  

I did not love this one.  I hear the term often in Young Adult reviews - instalove, but it doesn't happen to me often in my reading - it did in this book.  I sneezed and these two hoped in bed and spoiler were talking marriage.  I did love how they met and their first date, but I wish the author had used more pages and maybe bumped it out of novella status and created a fuller story.  I did enjoy meeting these characters before book one takes off, but this could have been book one and been a full story on its own.

I did continue with the series and you will see a review for book one, spoiler, I loved it!



Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2016 Challenge: 15 out of 50

Review: Flight Patterns by Karen White

Flight Patterns

by Karen White

Publisher: NAL

Pages: 416

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Georgia Chambers has spent her life sifting through other people’s pasts while trying to forget her own. But then her work as an expert of fine china—especially of Limoges—requires her to return to the one place she swore she’d never revisit...

It’s been thirteen years since Georgia left her family home on the coast of Florida, and nothing much has changed, except that there are fewer oysters and more tourists. She finds solace seeing her grandfather still toiling away in the apiary where she spent much of her childhood, but encountering her estranged mother and sister leaves her rattled. 

Seeing them after all this time makes Georgia realize that something has been missing—and unless she finds a way to heal these rifts, she will forever be living vicariously through other people’s remnants. To embrace her own life—mistakes and all—she will have to find the courage to confront the ghosts of her past and the secrets she was forced to keep...


Kritters Thoughts:  Georgia Chambers fled from home 10 years ago for a reason that the reader is left to find out.  She is having to return home for work and her work reason will turn very personal.  

First, I enjoyed this book, I just didn't love it.  Rarely do I say this, but I felt as though this story could have been told in fewer pages.  There were moments toward the middle where the story just kind of puttered and I wanted some action to take place to move things forward.  The second half really picked up once the reader was made aware of all the secrets and the characters were learnings things too, but with the slowness of the middle I just couldn't completely love this one. 

This is actually my first Karen White read and I own a few of her previous and I am definitely intrigued to read another to see if I just don't love her pacing or if this book is different from the others.  Have you read Karen White?  Which is your favorite?  Where should I start with her backlist?


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Penguin Random House.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford

Radio Girls

by Sarah-Jane Stratford

Publisher: NAL

Pages: 384

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  London, 1926. American-raised Maisie Musgrave is thrilled to land a job as a secretary at the upstart British Broadcasting Corporation, whose use of radio—still new, strange, and electrifying—is captivating the nation. But the hectic pace, smart young staff, and intimidating bosses only add to Maisie’s insecurity. 

Soon, she is seduced by the work—gaining confidence as she arranges broadcasts by the most famous writers, scientists, and politicians in Britain. She is also caught up in a growing conflict between her two bosses, John Reith, the formidable Director-General of the BBC, and Hilda Matheson, the extraordinary director of the hugely popular Talks programming, who each have very different visions of what radio should be. Under Hilda’s tutelage, Maisie discovers her talent, passion, and ambition. But when she unearths a shocking conspiracy, she and Hilda join forces to make their voices heard both on and off the air…and then face the dangerous consequences of telling the truth for a living.

Kritters Thoughts:  A different look at a time and place that is written about often.  London is on the cusp of World War II and radio is on the cusp of popularity.  Maisie gets in on the ground floor of the BBC at the beginning and works her way up in the Talks department.  At the same time London is seeing women's fight for the right to vote and seeing some opposition to the way business and politics have been going for years and years.

There were two main things that really attracted me about this book - the time in history and the location, meaning the BBC and the radio world.  I love books that take place when is before a big point in history, in this case right before the second World War and the reader knows what is coming in the background history wise and the characters may have no clue.  I also loved the "world" this set in, the beginnings of radio and BBC and seeing women have an opportunity at this time to hold powerful positions and make impacts on their communities.  This book reminded me that women were making an impact in the career and home, but still not eligible to vote - boggles the mind!

I am a historical fiction fan and read many of them, but this one felt unique.  I am excited to see what comes next from Sarah-Jane Stratford and am adding her to my historical fiction authors to watch list.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

With a holiday Monday, a quiet work week and a quiet weekend, I got quite the reading done!

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Sunshine Beach by Wendy Wax
Flight Patterns by Karen White
Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford
By the Numbers by Jen Lancaster
Midnight at Tiffany's by Sarah Morgan

Currently Reading:

Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

Next on the TBR pile:
Forever Beach by Shelley Noble

Review: Sunshine Beach by Wendy Wax

Sunshine Beach

by Wendy Wax

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 432

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  There’s nothing that a fresh coat of paint and a few glasses of wine can’t fix…
 
After losing their life savings in a Ponzi scheme, Maddie, Avery, and Nikki have banded together to make the most of what they have left, using their determination, ingenuity, guts, and a large dose of elbow grease. It’s Maddie’s daughter Kyra who stumbles across a once glorious beachfront hotel that has fallen into disrepair. The opportunity to renovate this seaside jewel is too good to pass up—especially when they come up with the idea of shooting their own independent television show about the restoration. What could possibly go wrong?
 
Everything. With the cameras rolling, Maddie’s second-chance romance with her all-too-famous new boyfriend gets complicated, Avery struggles with grief over the loss of her mother, and Nikki’s reluctance to commit to the man who loves her could leave her to face the biggest challenge of her life. Even the hotel seems to be against them, when their renovation uncovers a decades-old unsolved murder which just might bring their lives tumbling down all over again…

Kritters Thoughts:  The fourth in a series that I actually started reading halfway through, which I don't normally do!  

There are four main characters who in each book have tackled a big DIY renovation while also dealing with drama and tragedies in their lives - the big thing that makes this book unique to other books that center around female friendships is that this one has ladies from different ages and it is cool to see the mentoring that can happen if females trust the wisdom of others both younger and older than them.

I haven't read book one or two in this series and definitely want to go back and read them and see where this series started.  I wouldn't recommend starting midway, I think there are things that I am missing, but started book 3 without knowing this was a series.  

I think readers of all ages would love this story and would find a character that resonates with them and be able to hold on to them throughout the series.  I hope there are many more books to come in this series, one each summer!



Rating: perfect beach read

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

One True Loves

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Pages: 352

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.


Kritters Thoughts:  Does each person only have one soul mate?  Can you have more than one true love in your life?  These are maybe a few questions that people ask often and this book tackles these questions with an interesting twist.  Emma Blair met two boys while in high school and ended up going away to college and marrying one and losing contact with the other.  After a turn of events, the one she marries goes missing and in her devastation she returns home and possibly reconnects with the other.  What happens if the original true love comes back?

I love this concept of maybe each person has more than one potential shot at true love.  I am happily married, but wonder if I had taken a different road would I have ended up happily married just to someone else?  Were small decisions that I made sent me down this path that resulted in happiness, but if I had made a small turn would I have still ended up happy just somewhere else?  I love when fiction can make you think a little without completely hitting you in the gut.  

I also love how Taylor Jenkins Reid tackles topics with characters that seem so real that you wish you could be friends with them!  I loved Emma Blair and thought she was so real and her character arc felt honest.  In the editor letter in the beginning of my ARC I read she was on a team and I have to admit I was #TeamSam the entire book.  Call me a rational non adventure kind of lady, but Sam was my guy from the start!  

An added bonus in a book is a bookstore, so to have the Blair family own a generational bookstore may have put this book over the top for me!  What reader doesn't love a story with a bookstore in it!  

I will read any Taylor Jenkins Reid book without even having a synopsis or title!  


Rating:  absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Atria Books.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Saving Abby by Steena Holmes

Saving Abby

by Steena Holmes

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 274

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  All children’s book illustrator Claire Turner ever wanted was to be a mother. After six years of trying to conceive, she and her husband, Josh, have finally accepted that she will never be pregnant with a child of their own.

Yet once they give up hope, the couple gets the miracle they’ve been waiting for. For the first few months of her pregnancy, Claire and Josh are living on cloud nine. But when she begins to experience debilitating headaches, blurred vision, and even fainting spells, the soon-to-be mother goes to the doctor and receives a terrifying diagnosis. Since any treatment could put their unborn baby’s life at risk, the Turners must carefully weigh their limited options. And as her symptoms worsen, Claire will have to make an impossible decision: Save her own life, or save her child’s?


Kritters Thoughts:  Another home run for Steena Holmes.  From series to stand alones, I have loved reading Steena Holmes for awhile now.  This book focuses on a couple who have had difficulties conceiving and when a miracle happens they are excited to celebrate; of course, their joy can't last long or what would be the book!  Claire is diagnosed and this couple must face some extreme decision making.

First, I loved this couple - they felt real and authentic, yet not completely flawed or dramatic.  I also loved the people that they were surrounded by; each character added something to the story instead of just being there.  The secondary characters are both a part of the main story, but also have their own that doesn't detract from the main but supports it in just the right way!

I didn't love the ending for this one and I will of course not divulge any details, but that didn't take away from me overall loving the book.  I would absolutely have picked a different ending, but can live with the one Steena chose.  

I am anxiously awaiting her next release!


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

the merry month of MAY

source

May was a good month!  The weather was hit and miss, but the reading was great and actually ended on such a high note with a Memorial Day Weekend full of some 5 star reviews!  I am hoping for some June weekends by a pool our outside hanging with the pups.
1. A Good Killing by Allison Leotta
2. The Last Good Girl by Allison Leotta
3. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
4. Fading Starlight by Kathryn Cushman
5. Portrait of a Conspiracy by Donna Russo Morin
6. Wedding Girl by Stacey Ballis
7. Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica
8. Re Jane by Patricia Park
9. The Memory of Us by Camille Di Maio
10. The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler
11. Death at Breakfast by Beth Gutcheon
12. Liberty and Means by Kristin Dow
13. Leaving Blythe River by Catherine Ryan Hyde
14. Gridley Girls by Meredith First
15. The Mother by Yvette Edwards
16. Saving Abby by Steena Holmes
17. One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Total pages read, clicked, and flipped: 5,591

Where Have I Been Reading?:

Detroit, MN (2)

Welsh coast

Santa Barbara, CA

Italy

Chicago, IL

Michigan

Korea

Liverpool

Pittsburgh

Banger, ME

Kansas

Wyoming

Sacramento, CA
London
Ontario
Massachusetts