Review: Victoria's War by Catherine Hamilton

Victoria's War by Catherine Hamilton

Publisher: Plain View Press

Pages: 276

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads: POLAND, 1939: Nineteen-year-old Victoria Darski is eager to move away to college: her bags are packed and her train ticket is in hand. But instead of boarding a train to the University of Warsaw, she finds her world turned upside down when World War II breaks out.

Victoria’s father is sent to a raging battlefront, and the Darski women face the cruelty of the invaders alone. After the unthinkable happens, Victoria is ordered to work in a Nazi sewing factory. When she decides to go to a resistance meeting with her best friend, Sylvia, they are captured by human traffickers targeting Polish teenagers. Sylvia is singled out and sent to work in the brothels, and Victoria is transported in a cattle car to Berlin, where she is auctioned off as a slave.

GERMANY, 1941: Twenty-year-old Etta Tod is at Mercy Hospital, where she’s about to undergo involuntary sterilization because of the Fuhrer’s mandate to eliminate hereditary deafness. Etta, an artist, silently critiques the propaganda poster on the waiting room wall while her mother tries to convince her she should be glad to get rid of her monthlies. Etta is the daughter of the German shopkeepers who buy Victoria at auction in Berlin.

The stories of Victoria and Etta intertwine in the bakery’s attic where Victoria is held—the same place where Etta has hidden her anti-Nazi paintings. The two women form a quick and enduring bond. But when they’re caught stealing bread from the bakery and smuggling it to a nearby work camp, everything changes.

Kritters Thoughts:  Victoria and Etta are two women whose lives will be greatly impacted by World War II and they will completely impact each other.  Victoria becomes a prisoner due to her heritage, she is Polish and that is seen as an "other" in Hitler's eyes.  Etta is a prisoner to her family due to her being born deaf and that being seen as a complete defect.  When these women come together they end up doing some real good for the community.  

Both Victoria and Etta's stories had moments that were so so hard to read.  From abuse to rape, the things these women went through just trying to live were beyond anything I could imagine enduring.  These women visit Polish prison camps and even a maternity ward and are able to sneak in extra supplies, but they are looked at as the lucky ones which I couldn't wrap my head around!  

With all of the World War II books that are out there to read, this one was really hard for me to read.  I understand that the parts that were hard to read were based in truth, but they were just to graphic which made the book unenjoyable for me.  If you are a reader who has read a majority of the books that take place during World War II and are unafraid of reading about graphic scenes then this book would be right up your alley.  

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

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 50 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Mindbuck Media.  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: The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

Publisher: Atheneum Books

Pages: 256

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Butterbean knew she wasn’t always a good dog. Still, she’d never considered herself a BAD dog—until the morning that her owner, Mrs. Food, fell in the hallway. Admittedly the tile was slipperier than usual, mostly because Butterbean had just thrown up on it.

Now Butterbean and her fellow pets have to come up with a grand plan to support themselves in case Mrs. Food is unable to keep taking care of them. When they discover a mysterious man in their building who seems to have lots of loot, they plan a heist. Oscar the mynah bird is the brains of the operation. Walt the cat has the necessary slyness and slink. Marco and Polo are the reconnaissance rats. And Butterbean...well, no one would ever suspect a cute little wiener dog, right? Can these animal friends can pull off the heist of the century?

Kritters Thoughts:  A dog, a cat, a bird and two rats all in one NYC apartment.  Their owner takes a fall and leaves them to get treated and they quickly wonder about their future.  They band together to make a plan to make themselves rich, so they can take care of themselves.  When a young girl enters the picture, they worry a little less, but still take matters into their own hands.

What a fun and sweet book told through the perspective of the animals.  I am a dog owner and animal lover, so I loved hearing life through their eyes.  It made me giggle quite a few times when I thought about how my crew would operate without humans.  

The one thing that I didn't completely love about the book was the names of the animals.  For some reason it was hard for me to keep them all straight.  I don't know why I couldn't do it, but I wish their names had matched their personalities or type of animal a bit better!

I would recommend this to many young readers.  With a love of animals and a fun heist plot line, this is a great read for adults to read to a child or an early reader.  

Rating: a great YA read

Ebook 2020 Challenge: 47 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Netgalley.  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?

  It was a hard week mentally and I felt as though I wasn't able to concentrate on reading as much, but glad for what I was able to accomplish.

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

Sweat Pea Summer by Alys Murray

We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

Everything I Needed to Know I Learned From Judy Blume edited by Jennifer O'Connell

Dance Lessons by Aine Greaney

Currently Reading:

The Editor by Stephen Rowley

 

Next on the TBR pile:

Summer at Lake Haven by RaeAnne Thayne

Review: The Prisoner's Wife by Maggie Brookes

The Prisoner's Wife by Maggie Brookes

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 400

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  In the dead of night, a Czech farm girl and a British soldier travel through the countryside. Izabela and prisoner of war Bill have secretly married and are on the run, with Izzy dressed as a man. The young husband and wife evade capture for as long as possible--until they are cornered by Nazi soldiers with tracking dogs.

Izzy's disguise works. The couple are assumed to be escaped British soldiers and transported to a POW camp. However, their ordeal has just begun, as they face appalling living conditions and the constant fear of Izzy's exposure. But in the midst of danger and deprivation comes hope, for the young couple are befriended by a small group of fellow prisoners. These men become their new family, willing to jeopardize their lives to save Izzy from being discovered and shot.

Kritters Thoughts:  Bill is a POW and is assigned to a small farm where the husband and a son have left to fight in the war.  He interacts with the two women left at the farm, a mother and a daughter and over time he falls in love with Izabella, but they must make some quick and large decisions that could be risking their lives.  

For me this book didn't have great pacing.  The middle section felt long and repetitive and I was so thankful when the third part started.  Once the story started "moving" I was so thankful to see the change in scenery and how that would affect the situation they were dealing with.  

I appreciated Maggie Brookes' view on something that probably happened often during this war where couples had to make big decisions on what was best for their families and putting themselves first in a time of great strife in a war.  Many times while reading the book I kept saying I can't imagine this being truth all while knowing that there had to be some truth in this story.  Not only couldn't I imagine the issues they were dealing with hiding her gender, but just the POW experience in general.  

I think this was a great debut novel and would look forward to her next novel and would be interested to see what time and subject matter she focuses on 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 Berkley.  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: Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 400

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  The attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything for Lana Hitchcock. Arriving home on the Big Island too late to reconcile with her estranged father, she is left alone to untangle the clues of his legacy, which lead to a secret property tucked away in the remote rain forest of Kilauea volcano. When the government starts taking away her neighbors as suspected sympathizers, Lana shelters two young German girls, a Japanese fisherman and his son. As tensions escalate, they are forced into hiding—only to discover the hideaway house is not what they expected.

When a detainment camp is established nearby, Lana struggles to keep the secrets of those in her care. Trust could have dangerous consequences. As their lives weave together, Lana begins to understand the true meaning of family and how the bonds of love carry us through the worst times.

Kritters Thoughts:  Lana Hitchcock left her home to go to the Big Island when she finds out her dad's health has taken a turn for the worse.  As she lands, she finds out she is too late and he has left clues for her that she finds as Pearl Harbor is taking place and these clues will help her with her future.  

Lana was an amazing character to follow.  She was true and honest and not perfect which I appreciated.  I loved her natural flaws and the ups and downs she took in this book.  She really leapt from only caring for herself to really caring for three children and an older gentleman and in extreme circumstances.  

I have said this often on this blog, but my favorite thing about historical fiction is the ability to learn something new but in a fun and enjoyable way.  I have read a few books and seen a movie or two about the events of Pearl Harbor, but I didn't know about the time in Hawaii specifically after the events.  And I didn't know about the Japanese population specifically in Hawaii.  I know there are stories about that population and the affects of these events on them in California and other states, but to hear about them in this particular state was really interesting as Pearl Harbor happened in their backyard and I also wasn't aware of the size of the population that lived in that state.  

This book was one of those historical fiction books that a reader can get swept up in character, time and place and get transported and forget everything for a few hours.  I honestly read this book in one day in a few increments and I couldn't believe how quickly I read it completely.  

This was my first Sara Ackerman read and I am excited to see she has a bit of a backlist for me to dive into while I wait for her next release!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

  Ebook 2020 Challenge: 48 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Harlequin.  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: Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 368

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.

Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.

Kritters Thoughts:  Daphne Berg is a plus sized influencer who is hitting her stride in growing her audience while also being a nanny for a family.  Drue Cavanaugh has always had the easy life, coming from a well known affluent family.  Daphne and Drue were friends in college, but with drama one night the friendship quickly ended.  Six years later Drue reenters Daphne's life with an ask that she can't refuse, paid vacation, a wedding and some good photo opportunities!

I went into this book very blind and I am so thankful I did.  There are things in this book that I felt as though felt so new and different for Jennifer Weiner and I just don't want to spoil any of it for you.  

I can honestly say this book was just the right book to read right now.  I read this book at the beginning of quarantine and it was so engrossing that I forgot about all the mess that was going on outside of my little library.  With great characters that were easy to follow and that made me care for them and their journey, this book was a two sitting read where I couldn't put it down without knowing what was coming next.  

I went into this book already a Jennifer Weiner fan and after reading this one, I am now even more so!  I would love to see more like this from Jennifer Weiner.  

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 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.

May - merry month?

source

May was a full month in quarantine life, but became a busy month with the start of boat season and getting our garden up to speed.  So I read the same as last month, I am setting an extreme goal for June to finish 30 books for the month!

1. Lake Season by Denise Hunter

2. Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter

3. When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka

4. Administrations of Lunacy by Mab Segrest

5. The Wedding Chapel by Rachel Hauck

6. The Perfect Secret by Steena Holmes

7. Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon

8. Dune Drive by Mariah Stewart

9. The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck

10. The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

11. Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

12. Can't Look Away by Donna Cooner

13. Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

14. The Prisoner's Wife by Maggie Brookes

15. The Summer House by Lauren Denton

16. The Good Fight by Jana Kramer and Mike Caussin

17. The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray

18. I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman

19. The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

20. Head Over Heels by Hannah Orensetein

Total pages read, clicked and flipped: 6,580

Where having I been Reading?:
North Carolina

New York

Utah

Georgia

Portland, ME

Tennessee (2)

Maryland

New York City, NY 

Massachusetts (2)

Texas

Hawaii

Czech Republic

Alabama

California

Montana

Review: Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Sister Dear by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 384

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Beauty. Wealth. Success.

She’s got it all.

And it all should’ve been mine.

When Eleanor Hardwicke’s beloved father dies, her world is further shattered by a gut-wrenching secret: the man she’s grieving isn’t really her dad. Eleanor was the product of an affair and her biological father is still out there, living blissfully with the family he chose. With her personal life spiraling, a desperate Eleanor seeks him out, leading her to uncover another branch on her family tree—an infuriatingly enviable half sister.

Perfectly perfect Victoria has everything Eleanor could ever dream of. Loving childhood, luxury home, devoted husband. All of it stolen from Eleanor, who plans to take it back. After all, good sisters are supposed to share. And quiet little Eleanor has been waiting far too long for her turn to play.

Kritters Thoughts:  Eleanor Hardwicke starts this book devastated that her dad's days are numbered as he is battling an illness and with a horrible relationship with her mother and sister, she is aware that when he dies she will be saying goodbye to a notion of family.  Until she finds out that as he was dying he revealed that he is not her biological father and she actually has more family out there.  She wants to find this other family and see if she can connect and grow how she has always defined family.  

I went into this book with the cover that is presented ready for sinister and crazy right off the bat and this is more of a slow build and actually more of a family drama.  The sinisterness comes into play at the very end and some great twists and turns, but this book is about family and trying to define family however you need to and what family can look like.  

I liked how Hannah Mary McKinnon wrote characters.  The character arcs are just genius.  From where Eleanor starts to where she ends is just a great journey and yes it is fiction, but it was believable to see Eleanor end up where she did.  

i was surprised when I finished this book that this was my first read of Hannah Mary McKinnon.  Although this one didn't go as I had predicted, I still loved it and want to dive into her backlist.  

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

  Ebook 2020 Challenge: 46 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Harlequin.  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: Dune Drive by Mariah Stewart

Dune Drive by Mariah Stewart

 

Publisher: Pocket Books

Pages: 388

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Always believing she was an ugly duckling, Chrissy Jenkins thought she had finally turned into a swan when her real-life Prince Charming swept her off her feet. But as his true character began to crack his perfect facade, Chrissy realized that not only was she better off without him, but that she was the only one who had the power to transform her life.

Returning to her ancestral home on Cannonball Island for a family wedding, Chrissy is reintroduced to a legacy she’d all but forgotten. In choosing to stay on the island, she reboots her life, successfully reinventing herself as a sous chef at the Inn at Sinclair’s Point just over the bridge in St. Dennis. But despite her newfound self-confidence, she still doesn’t trust her taste in men. So when she meets Jared Chandler, a handsome ship salvager staying at the inn while he conducts a nearby recovery operation, Chrissy’s certain she can keep him as a friend—even though he’s everything any woman would want in a man. As fellow newcomers, together they discover the charm of the historic bayside town and explore the idyllic island.

But when Chrissy agrees to be Jared’s date for his father’s wedding, they embark on a weekend that will find them each seeing the other in a completely different light, one that will change their lives forever. 

Kritters Thoughts:  The twelfth book in a series and I started the series with this one.  The thing about romance series is that you can start anywhere because each book in the series centers around a different character in the "universe" or one that recently moved to town.  I tend to like to start at the beginning even in these series, but I decided to risk it all and start on this one.  I could tell while reading this book that there was backstory for some of the extra characters that I was missing, but I didn't feel as though it took away from the story of the two main characters.  

This book focused on Chrissy and Jared.  Chrissy moves back to the small town where she has spent a lot of time with her great grandmother.  She is escaping a bad situation and has no idea what is next for herself.  Jared is just in town for a job.  He has friendly connections to the small town, but this isn't a place he would call home until . . . 

As in all romance books, the reader knows we will end in a happy ending, but I always rate romance books on two things.  One, I rate on the sexy times in the books.  I tend to like the books that have less sexy times and have more plot and when an author really leans on growing the relationship to move the story instead of leaning on the sexy times to move the story.  This one did just that, the relationship was a great slow burn, no insta love and it allowed for a great plot to build.  The other thing that I rate romance books on, that this book did well was, the thing that is 2/3 into the book that may break up the couple.  There is always something that takes the couple apart and they must overcome to get to the happy ending and I loved the one for this book!  Of course, I won't spoil, but I loved it.

I am a fan of Mariah Stewart and really want to make it a goal to catch up on her backlist.  

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 Netgalley.  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?

I had a busy weekend last weekend, getting ready for the boat season, so I missed getting this post up.  This is two weeks worth of reading.

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:

The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck

The Great Pet Heist by Emily Ecton

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Can't Look Away by Donna Cooner

Red Sky Over Hawaii by Sara Ackerman

The Prisoner's Wife by Maggie Brookes

The Summer House by Lauren Denton

The Good Fight by Jana Kramer and Mike Caussin

Victoria's War by Catherine Hamilton

Currently Reading:

The Magnolia Sisters by Alys Murray

Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume

Next on the TBR pile:
Sweet Pea Summer by Alys Murray

Review: Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter

 Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Pages: 320

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Rising Hollywood star Mia Emerson is looking for a safe place to land in the wake of a public breakup and scandal, and she finds it in the lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina—the location of her canceled honeymoon. She wants nothing more than to hide and wait for the tabloids to die down.

Soon after her arrival at the Bluebell Inn, Mia meets Levi Bennett, who runs the inn along with his two younger sisters. Drawn to one another from the start, Mia trusts Levi to keep her location from the press, and Levi confides in Mia about the financial state of the inn—a secret he’s been keeping from his sisters.

When Mia and Levi discover an old journal that hints at a rare diamond necklace hidden in the inn, they set off on a treasure hunt to find the long-lost heirloom. What they don’t expect to surface are feelings they thought were safely locked away. Mia and Levi must decide if falling in love again is too big a risk—or if it will uncover a treasure of its own instead.

Kritters Thoughts: The second in a series and although this book centers around a different sibling, I would completely suggest starting at book one.  This book focuses on the older brother Levi and an up and coming Hollywood star Mia Emerson.  Levi came home to help his sisters renovate their home into an inn and is contemplating returning to Colorado and the life he had before the tragedy and in walks Mia.  Mia is escaping some drama that she got wrapped into in California and needs a quiet place to regroup.

As in the first book, this is a romance story with a great plot.  As this is by a Christian fiction author, the romance story lacks the sexy times scenes that you can see in most romance books.  I like this because then the author can't lean on a sexy scene to move the plot forward, instead there is plot and creative scenes where the characters interact and woo and flirt!  Also as in the first book, this one has secrets that when revealed could possibly cause drama and I enjoyed reading to see how the characters were going to react and if they could overcome the situation.

There will be a bit before the third in this series releases and I can finish the trilogy and am assuming that this third book will focus on the youngest sibling, Grace and her story as she is now a high school graduate and must make some big life choices!

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.

Review: Lake Season by Denise Hunter

Lake Season by Denise Hunter

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Pages: 352

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  When their parents die in a tragic accident, Molly Bennett and her siblings pull together to fulfill their parents’ dream: turning their historic home back into an inn.

Adam Bradford (a.k.a. bestselling author Nathanial Grey) is a reclusive author with a bad case of writer’s block. Desperate for inspiration as his deadline approaches, he travels to a North Carolina lake town, the setting of his next novel. There he immediately meets his muse, a young innkeeper who fancies herself in love with his alter ego.

When Molly finds an old letter in the walls of her inn she embarks on a mission with Adam to find the star-crossed lovers and bring them the closure they deserve. But the guest she invites along has secrets of his own. Past and present collide as truths are revealed, and Molly and Adam will have to decide if love is worth trusting.

Kritters Thoughts:  The first in a series about a set of siblings who have come home after they tragically lost their parents in a car accident.  Molly and Levi return home to their younger sister Grace who has two years left of high school and are able to finish the renovations to the inn that their parents were doing and provide Grace a place to finish school.  

This first story centers specifically around Molly.  She is a lover of romance stories and is a big fan of the bestselling author Nathaniel Grey who is an author who has always hidden his identity.  Unbeknownst to Molly, he arrives in this small North Carolina town to regroup and outline his next novel.  He is in need of some inspiration and Molly and her family inn is the perfect place.

This was a great first story in a series as it set the place and location to the story and introduced the reader to the entire family while also telling a complete story about one of them.  I loved Molly.  She was such a great character to set the stage.  She is the middle sibling and felt as though she was the glue that held the family together.  I enjoyed the story arc between her and Adam Bradford.  I love mistaken identity and secrets and watching as all of them come out and seeing how the character will react to the truth.  

Denise Hunter does a great job of combining the romance genre and giving a great plot while keeping it true to the Christian fiction roots and leaving out the steamy scenes, but still having a great love story.  

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

Review: Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin

Happy & You Know It by Laura Hankin 

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 384

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  After her former band shot to superstardom without her, Claire reluctantly agrees to a gig as a playgroup musician for overprivileged infants on New York’s Park Avenue. Claire is surprised to discover that she is smitten with her new employers, a welcoming clique of wellness addicts with impossibly shiny hair, who whirl from juice cleanse to overpriced miracle vitamins to spin class with limitless energy.

There is perfect hostess Whitney who is on the brink of social-media stardom and just needs to find a way to keep her perfect life from falling apart. Caustically funny, recent stay-at-home mom Amara who is struggling to embrace her new identity. And old money, veteran mom Gwen who never misses an opportunity to dole out parenting advice. But as Claire grows closer to the cool women who pay her bills, she uncovers secrets and betrayals that no amount of activated charcoal can fix.

Kritters Thoughts:  Claire left a band before it really hit big and she doesn't know what her future looks like now.  She wants to stay in the business of music, but doesn't know what to do next.  She returns to a job she had prior to the band where she is playing for kids group.  A playgroup invites her to be their musician where they meet out of someone's apartment in NYC and she gets integrated into the group very fast.  

With women of all sorts of different personalities and creeds, the playgroup was greatly diverse and I loved getting to know all the women and their reactions to new motherhood.  All the women were first time moms except one and Gwen was glad to be the mom expert of the group.  Even though I am not a mom, I have a love for mommy drama books.  This seems weird to say but I enjoy reading about mom guilt and I think this is because even though I don't have kids we can all feel a little bit of guilt about where you spend time and if you are using and spending your time to the best of your ability and in the places that matter to you most.     

I went into this book a little blind and was happily surprised by some of the things that happen, so I will be a bit vague because I would love for each of you to experience the book just like I did.  I will say that there were some great and satisfying twists and turns and the plot and the characters kept me reading where I read this one in one satisfying sitting!

This was my first Laura Hankin read and I was excited to see that there is one book in her backlist, so I hope to read it very soon!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

   Ebook 2020 Challenge: 41 out of 100   

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley.  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.