REVIEW: Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger

Title: Confessions on the 7:45
Author: Lisa Unger
Narrator: Vivienne Leheny
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Publication Date: October 2020
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: From master of suspense Lisa Unger comes a riveting thriller about a chance encounter that unravels a stunning web of lies.

Selena Murphy is commuting home on the train when she strikes up a conversation with a beautiful stranger in the next seat. The woman introduces herself as Martha and soon confesses that she’s been stuck in an affair with her boss. Selena, in turn, confesses that she suspects her husband is sleeping with the nanny. When the train arrives at Selena’s station, the two women part ways, presumably never to meet again.

Then the nanny disappears.

As Selena is pulled into the mystery of what happened, and as the fractures in her marriage grow deeper, she begins to wonder, who was Martha really ? But she is hardly prepared for what she’ll discover…

My Thoughts: I don’t know where new to me author Lisa Unger has been hiding all these years and how I have never read anything by her before, but she is definitely on my list of authors that I really enjoy. Confessions on the 7:45 was a very good choice to begin with and, trust me, take this one to heart and don’t talk to strangers! I think if I had one gripe about the main character, Selena Murphy, it would be that she bares her soul and pours her heart to a stranger on the train. Why? You don’t know this person and maybe there is some comfort in sharing your pain, grief and problems with a stranger that you will probably never see again but get into a support group and share that! Especially when your husband is sleeping with the nanny! In fairness to Selena, the stranger, Martha, started it by confessing that she is sleeping with her boss, but that doesn’t mean we have to start playing true confessions here. Then when Martha alludes to how nice it would be if all your problems could just go away…major creeper vibes here. Who is this woman?

Then after confronting your loser bum of a husband and being faced with having to fire the best nanny you’ve ever had, and that sucks because your kids love her and she really is great overall if you look past the sleeping with your husband bit, your amazing nanny goes missing. She doesn’t show up the next day (to be fired) and has disappeared off the face of the earth. Of course, right away, Selena wonders if her husband had something to do with it and as the police begin investigating, it starts to feel like they do too. Or maybe Selena got rid of her. Or maybe the nanny knew her employment was about to come to an end and couldn’t face the looming confrontation she was likely to have with Selena and just ran away. There is so much more here than just a cheating husband and a missing nanny.

I enjoyed so many things about this story. Firstly, the author does an amazing job of weaving this story around and around all the characters, including Martha, the mysterious woman from the train. I kept trying to figure it all out but it’s just too complex and mind-blowing that I realized to just let that go and immerse myself into the story. Secondly, I really enjoyed how the chapters change points of view between Selena and Martha, which is a wonderful way to get to know the characters better, their personalities, their motivations, their triggers, their past, all of it. I highly applaud an author that can do this effectively and Lisa Unger is such an author. Thirdly, this author does a fantastic job of giving the reader just enough detail to keep them engaged without giving it all away. The surprise I felt as I learned how these two women are connected as well as the lives they both lead was jaw-dropping.

Lastly, I must give major kudos to the audio narration performer Vivienne Leheny. She does an amazing job of breathing life into these characters adding the perfect amount of emotion and tension. It really gives the reader a sense of being in the room with the characters.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy mysteries and thrillers. I also recommend you add Lisa Unger books to your stack and if audiobooks are your jam, then you are sure to enjoy books narrated by Vivienne Leheny. This is a terrific book for any commute, it will entertain you and then you don’t have to spill all your deep dark secrets to strangers.

REVIEW: Zen and Sex by Dermot Davis

Title: Zen and Sex
Author: Dermot Davis
Publisher: Expression Unleashed Publishing
Publication Date: April 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Humor
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Martin is a 24-year-old guy who falls in love with a 38-year-old woman. He has to grow so fast emotionally that he feels like he just got hit by a speeding bus. Not only is Frances fourteen years Martin's senior, but she's all about putting Zen into relationship, which involves every guy's worst nightmare: talking about your feelings, being conscious of your thoughts and above all, unabashed, honest communication at all times. Martin has no idea what he is getting himself into and the sharp learning curve that's required of him especially when he's thinking sex but she's thinking Zen.

WARNING: This book contains irony, tongue-in-cheek sarcasm and heavy doses of wit. Not suitable for readers expecting a traditional rom-com where the male character is a billionaire or some other fantasy variation of an alpha male. In fact, when it comes to love, the main character, Martin, has been described as a bumbling idiot... so please be warned.

My Thoughts: Zen and Sex by new to me author Dermot Davis has been languishing on my Kindle since 2013. Thanks to an alphabet challenge, I needed a “Z” title so after digging deep, I found this little gem. Better late, than never, but I wish I had read this one sooner as it was enjoyable.

I also love it when male authors write romance novels, whether it’s contemporary or romantic comedy or straight up chick-lit. I often find their perception and voice refreshing and entertaining and Dermot Davis is no exception.

Martin is a very typical young adult who seems to be drifting through life trying to find his place in the world professionally and personally. As a photographer, he is often struggling to find gigs that pay well enough to live and survive in California, but often give him the free time to explore his craft. He hasn’t been successful in the relationship department and when he gets a wedding invitation from his ex, he decides to attend, but needs a knock-out on his arm as his plus-one. We all know this routine of showing up and getting a little dig in on the ex to prove that you have moved on in your life just fine without them. The only problem is Martin is currently unattached and his prospects don’t look good.

After signing up for online dating and taking several bad first dates to his favorite restaurant, he notices a beautiful, but older, woman there every time he is and after receiving all the right signals, he and Frances begin a relationship with all the highs and lows, excitement and insecurities that it brings.

Frances is fourteen years older than Martin, married and divorced twice with a daughter who is closer to Martin’s age than she is. She is also vibrant, fun and exciting and it doesn’t take long for Martin to fall for her.

I really liked Martin and Frances individually, but the jury is still out whether I think they belong together as a couple. They really seem to be on different planes of existence mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Having said that, I honestly didn’t see him compatible with anyone else, so there may be hope for these two.

Several supporting characters round out the story, including Martin’s roommate, Mike and his girlfriend, Gloria. Frances’s ex-husband and her daughter also brought an interesting twist, as well.

My Final Verdict: Don’t expect any closure with this book because relationships are a work in progress and anything can happen. There is a companion book written in Frances’s point of view but I haven’t read that one so I can’t be sure there will be closure with that one either. I recommend this to readers who don’t mind open endings and enjoy their relationships sprinkled with humor along with the angst, Zen and sex.

REVIEW: The Road Trip by Susanne O'Leary

Title: The Road Trip (Maddy and Leanne #1)
Author: Susanne O’Leary
Narrator: Melanie MacHugh
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: June 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Have you ever wanted to press the escape button?

Maddy and Leanne are in need of a miracle.

Maddy can't bear to wash another pair of her husband's Y-fronts and if he continues to drone on about golf she might just scream.

Leanne can't stand living with her overbearing mother for a second longer and she's one disapproving eye roll away from a nervous breakdown.

But their luck changes when they win the lottery.

Setting off from Dublin, Maddy and Leanne lease a red convertible, winding through Europe and heading for the sun-drenched French Riviera.

But the pair have their own reasons for their adventure. Maddy has never forgotten her summer romance of twenty years ago with a gorgeous Frenchman and Leanne plans to track down the father who abandoned her as a child.

Amongst glorious sunsets and buckets of bubbly, Leanne and Maddy are searching for answers after years of wondering 'what if?'. But there might just be some surprises in store along the way…

A hilarious and heartwarming story about friendship, living life to the full and making the most of every moment. Fans of Fiona Gibson, Carole Matthews and Lucy Diamond will adore this uplifting, fun-filled read.

My Thoughts: When we first meet Maddy and Leanne, we learn they are part of a group of schoolteachers who have hit the lottery and have each won GBP200,000, so how awesome is that? This windfall couldn’t have come at a better time in their lives. Leanne’s life is under control by her mother and Maddy’s life consists of children who no longer need mothering and a husband who values his bloody golf clubs over his wife. Both of these women need a fresh start in the worst way. They keep the win to themselves and decide to go on a holiday. Leanne is on the search for the father who left when she was a child and Maddy is searching for the man she fell in love with when she was a student in France over twenty years ago.

Along the way from Dublin to the French Riviera, they meet many interesting characters, secrets are revealed, truths are told, tears are shed and life is lived with many humorous moments.

I liked Maddy and Leanne and their decision to take off on a massive holiday adventure was very exciting. Blogging it as they go also holds great appeal to me. We’ve all entertained the question of ”What is the first thing you would do if you hit it big in the lottery?” and for these two ladies, the answer is simple and I really liked that.

I went with the audiobook format of this story and I absolutely loved the narration performance of Melanie MacHugh. The story starts in Dublin and Maddy and Leanne are Irish, so obviously, listening to this book, one would expect Irish accents and this one didn’t disappoint. Ms. MacHugh’s narration was excellent. The voices of each character were distinct and brought them to life, giving me a better understanding of their personality, which enabled me to connect with them.

This was the first book for me by this author and I have the second book in this series, A Holiday to Remember which sees Maddy and Leanne’s adventure continuing. I am looking forward to reading that one as there are several loose threads in this story and I am curious to see how it all comes out.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this story to readers of women’s fiction, chick-lit and stories that feature exciting locale settings.

REVIEW: The Queen's Man by Terri Brisbin

Title: The Queen’s Man
Author: Terri Brisbin
Publisher: Jove Time Passages
Publication Date: September 2000
Genre: Time-Travel Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon

Description: A man born an heir, but raised a bastard. . .
A woman with the proof to put him on the throne. . .
A love endangered by the intrigue of Elizabeth’s court. . .

Richard Granville, an illegitimate son of Henry VIII, has always wanted to be king of England, but a bastard cannot inherit that position. So, he contents himself by serving his half-sister Queen Elizabeth. When her enemies approach with claims of his rights to the throne and with a plot to put him there, he is tempted. . . oh so tempted. Sharon Reynolds, a museum curator on holiday in present-day England, discovers proof of a legitimate male heir to Henry VIII and is shocked to be thrown back through time with that proof. Believing she was sent back to right the wrongs done to Henry VIII’s rightful heir, she searches for the man who should be king. Unfortunately, by the time she uncovers his identity she has fallen in love with him. Giving Richard the evidence may bring his death if he fails. Giving him the proof will mean losing his love if he becomes king for a commoner is no fit wife for him then. Danger, intrigue, and deception surround them as they struggle to find the path that fate means for them. . . and their love.

Can their love help them survive in Elizabethan England or will Richard forever remain the queen’s man?

My Thoughts: If you are a fan of time travel romance like I am, you accept the certainty that you will have to suspend disbelief that the concept of traveling through time is real as well as the care the traveler must take to ensure their presence in the past doesn’t alter the future to the point of wiping out their own existence. Pretty big responsibility that I doubt I would be able to manage, but the idea in itself is thrilling…once you get over the complete shock and terror you feel at discovering your surroundings.

Sharon Reynolds is a typical twenty-first century woman, lives in Chicago and picking up the pieces of her life after a professional catastrophe calls not just her reputation but her entire career into question. She accompanies her friend, Mo, to England to an archaeological site where she can be of assistance with different fabrics and textiles. Upon entering a previously undiscovered room, she finds a trunk filled with fabrics and dresses from the Elizabethan period and upon closer inspection of one dress, a stack of parchment disclosing that the previously thought dead son of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn lived, making him the rightful heir to the throne of England and not Elizabeth I. After her initial shock and amazement dissipates, Sharon leaves the room, only to discover that everyone around her is dressed in Elizabethan era costume and she is assumed to be a lady of the court assigned to the Queen’s wardrobe. Like Sharon, I also would think that I had somehow wandered into a Renaissance Fair cosplay and marvel at how authentic and real everyone’s performances are. Luckily for Sharon, she realizes quickly that the impossible has happened and she has to figure out why she came over four hundred years into the past and how she will get back home.

Richard Granville is the master of the Queen’s stables and has quite a reputation for being a seducer of women. Growing up knowing he is the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, he has had to prove himself worthy, though he has always dreamed that he would sit on the throne and rule England. He is drawn into a plot to take the throne and he is the rightful heir in the eyes of the Church in Rome. He loves his half-sister, Elizabeth, and would not want to see her come to harm. When he meets Sharon, he begins to dream of a future away from court where he can live out his life breeding prized stallions on his own stable farm.

Can you just imagine the type of deceptions and intrigues that occur at the royal court? One whisper of a rumor about a plot to overthrow the current monarch could find you imprisoned in the Tower of London waiting to have your head removed. One whisper of a rumor that you are from the future could have you labeled as a witch and burned at the stake. Honestly, how anyone made it to a ripe old age in this time period is beyond amazing.

I thought this story was well researched and described with the perfect amount of detail, which gave me a better view of Sharon’s new surroundings. I also enjoyed the small details regarding the furnishings, clothing and the meals. It certainly made me appreciate the luxuries of indoor plumbing, central heat and air, motorized vehicles and electricity.

I liked Sharon and Richard quite a lot individually and as a couple. I felt enormous empathy for the situation they find themselves in and grave concern for their safety. I was on pins and needles at what would happen as well as when Richard learns the truth about his birthright and that the woman he has come to love is from the future. I felt that actual historical characters like Queen Elizabeth I and William Cecil were depicted as I expected, but with a few unexpected surprises that were wonderful.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story to fans of time travel romance as well as readers who enjoy historical settings and time periods and aren’t bothered if there are a few liberties taken. My biggest regret about this book is that it took me so long to finally read it, but I’m not interested in going back in time to remedy that.