REVIEW: California Girls by Susan Mallery

Title: California Girls
Author: Susan Mallery
Narrator: Tanya Eby
Publisher: Harlequin - Mira
Publication Date: February 2019
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…

Finola, a popular LA morning show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.

Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.

Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.

But side by side by side, these sisters will start over and rebuild their lives with all the affection, charm and laugh-out-loud humor that is classic Susan Mallery.

My Thoughts: After reading this book, I am perplexed how this book escaped my notice for so long and am wishing I had picked it up sooner. It was a thoroughly enjoyable story that captivated me immediately. I loved the premise of three sisters who all get dumped the same week in very different ways and how these women rebuild their lives in unexpected ways.

The sisters were all different but very likable. Finola is the oldest and is a typical go-getter personality. She’s very career driven and enjoys the fruits of her success with her equally successful plastic surgeon husband living the dream in Beverly Hills. Finding out her husband has been unfaithful is bad enough but having your private pain and embarrassment become local fodder for the tabloids is a nightmare.

Zennie is a surgical nurse who loves her career and doesn’t think being in a relationship is a big deal. She’s happy being single and independent and the guy she is dating is a really nice guy but realizes she isn’t into him so they have an amicable breakup. When Zennie’s best friend and cancer survivor approaches Zennie to ask her to be a surrogate, Zennie doesn’t hesitate. She isn’t planning on getting pregnant for herself anytime soon and if she can help her best friend become a mother, Zennie is more than happy to do it. She doesn’t count on the changes her body goes through, physically and hormonally and is shocked at the lack of support people around her are displaying.

Ali has lived in the shadow of her sisters all of her life but she doesn’t let it stop her even if she feels invisible most of the time. She’s engaged to be married and is neck deep in planning a wedding to occur in a few weeks. That is, until her future brother-in-law, Daniel, shows up on her doorstep to tell her that her fiancé is dumping her but doesn’t have the cajónes to do it himself.

I enjoyed the multiple perspectives from each sister and seeing how their individual situations played out. This book moved at a wonderful pace, keeping me engaged and invested in the story and the characters. This book made me laugh and I also got a little misty eyed at parts. I paired the reading of this book with the audiobook format and very much enjoyed the narration performed by Tanya Eby.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story and look forward to reading more from this author. Readers who love women’s fiction or stories that are highly character driven will enjoy this.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin - Mira, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Postscript by Cecelia Ahern

Title: Postscript
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Narrator: Amy Huberman
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: February 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Sixteen years after Cecelia Ahern's bestselling phenomenon PS, I Love You captured the hearts of millions, the long-awaited sequel follows Holly as she helps strangers leave their own messages behind for loved ones.

Seven years after her husband's death -- six since she read his final letter -- Holly Kennedy has moved on with her life. When Holly's sister asks her to tell the story of the "PS, I Love You" letters on her podcast -- to revisit the messages Gerry wrote before his death to read after his passing -- she does so reluctantly, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

But after the episode airs, people start reaching out to Holly, and they all have one thing in common: they're terminally ill and want to leave their own missives behind for loved ones. Suddenly, Holly finds herself drawn back into a world she's worked tirelessly to leave behind -- but one that leads her on another incredible, life-affirming journey.

With her trademark blend of romance, humor, and bittersweet life lessons, Postscript is the perfect follow-up to Ahern's beloved first novel.

My Thoughts: When I first learned this book had been published, I immediately knew it would break my heart as its predecessor, PS, I Love You, did. Even still knowing what lay ahead for me in this story, I was not deterred. I absolutely had to read this. I had to know how Holly has been faring in her life without Gerry. This book picks up the story seven years after Gerry’s passing and I was happy to see that Holly was doing well, working with her sister and in a relationship that was ready to take the next step of moving in together.

After Holly is invited to come on to her sister’s podcast and share her story, she is inundated by people seeking help. One group of terminally ill people have gone so far as forming a PS, I Love You club and they want Holly’s assistance drafting their own letters and creating memories for their loved ones to hold after they have gone. I was slightly surprised at Holly’s initial reluctance to participate in this endeavor as she feared it would mire her back into the bottomless grief and despair she lived through. I totally understood and empathized with Holly but this book is more about the lives her story touched and the hope they felt and the peace they sought. As Holly gets to know each member of the PS, I Love You club, the story begins to shift away from Holly and onto each of these individuals. As I got to know them, along with Holly, I was once again blind sighted by their bravery and determination as I was with Gerry.

I adore this author and continue to be amazed at the talent she possesses to create stories and characters that can so fully capture the heart of the reader. I find it impossible to be a passive reader when I read one of her books. I am completely entrenched in the story and the characters to varying degrees. It is so easy to get emotionally invested in these characters as they feel like close friends and family. I paired the reading of this book with the audiobook format and the narration by Amy Huberman was a delight. The Irish lilt made my ears happy. Though this book could be read as a standalone, you would be depriving yourself of a beautiful story with PS, I Love You so I highly encourage the reading of that one first.

I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with Holly and even getting a few more glimpses of Gerry’s presence through Holly’s recollections as well as a few surprises that Holly hasn’t counted on. I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance and women’s fiction and readers who enjoy stories about strength, perseverance, bravery and embracing life.

Thank you to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Lucky Dress by Aimee Brown

Title: The Lucky Dress
Author: Aimee Brown
Publisher: Aria
Publication Date: August 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible

Description: Emi Harrison hasn't been feeling particularly lucky lately. Ever since her ex-fiancée, Jack Cabot, successfully shattered her heart into a million pieces. She's managed to avoid him for a whole year, but all that's about to change at her brother Evan's wedding...

She will have to face Jack, Jack's sister, Jack's parents, and Jack's new girlfriend: a mean girl that just won't quit. What could possibly go wrong?

But with her lucky dress on, she might just find new love, life, and maybe even happiness at last!

My Thoughts: Though I am not a fan of the big misunderstanding trope, it was written very well in this story and played out beautifully. So many issues could have been resolved so quickly between Emi and Jack if they had just communicated and not let a whole year pass but hindsight is always 20/20 and carries a lot of could’ve, should’ve, would’ve.

I really enjoyed seeing it evolve and had a lot of anticipation of who Emi would end up with. I honestly expected them to end up with other people at this point but my old sappy heart was happy to see they still carried strong feelings for each other in spite of their painful breakup.

I loved the direction the author took with this story to make it feel unique and stand out, especially with the dual timeline between the past and the present. It gave me a better understanding of who Emi and Jack were and the lives they lived before. I felt all the feels and the empathy meter was running high for both Emi and Jack.

I loved this book and definitely want to read more from this author. Fans of contemporary romance, romantic comedies and women’s fiction will likely find this story appealing as well.

Thank you to the publisher, Aria, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

Title: A Flicker in the Dark
Author: Stacy Willingham
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: January 2022
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: From debut author Stacy Willingham comes a masterfully done, lyrical thriller, certain to be the launch of an amazing career. A Flicker in the Dark is eerily compelling to the very last chapter.

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?

My Thoughts: As a child, Chloe Davis not only learns her father is a serial killer but she was instrumental in his capture by turning him in. An event like this would leave anyone deeply traumatized and carrying massive loads of emotional and mental baggage. I felt an immense amount of empathy for this character and also felt high amounts of anxiety with her wondering who she could trust when similar disappearances and murders begin occurring twenty years after her father is sent to prison. Did Chloe turn in the wrong person? Is it a copy-cat killer? Is Chloe an intended target?

This author is new to me but I am looking forward to reading more of her work. I loved the tightly woven story, heavily laden with tension and twists that heightened my anxiety while ripping the rug out from under me. I also loved that the author leads the reader into a possible outcome, only to jerk the steering wheel in the opposite direction giving me the sense I’m in a runaway vehicle and the brakes have failed. The audiobook narration performed by Karissa Vacker was excellent as well. She deployed the perfect level of apprehension which made the characters believable and relatable.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to fans of mysteries, thrillers and stories that make you question yourself and suspect everyone around you.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, who provided an advance reader copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

REVIEW: The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Title: The Villa
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Narrator: Julia Whelan, Kimberly Wetherell and Shiromi Arserio
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: January 2023
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs returns with a brilliant new gothic suspense set at an Italian villa with a dark history.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album―and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred―and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge―and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

Inspired by Fleetwood Mac, the Manson murders, and the infamous summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle―the birthplace of Frankenstein―The Villa welcomes you into its deadly legacy.

My Thoughts: Fans of twisty mysteries and thrillers will definitely enjoy this one. I especially liked the dual timeline told from two characters, Mari in the 1970’s and Emily in the present day. The parallels of their lives were quite interesting. I particularly liked that all of the characters were morally ambiguous and the line separating right from wrong wasn’t always clearly defined. I paired the reading of the book with the audiobook and I think it enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

The story moves at a wonderful pace, building the tension at the appropriate levels to ensure the reader isn’t overwhelmed with details. This was my first experience reading this author’s work and I look forward to reading more from her.

I highly recommend this book to fans of mysteries and thrillers as well as readers who enjoy suspenseful novels set in locations with a creepy past.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Moments With God for Couples by David and Lori Hatcher

Title: Moments with God for Couples: 100 Devotions for Growing Closer to God and Each Other
Author: David and Lori Hatcher
Publisher: Our Daily Bread Publishing
Publication Date: April 2023
Genre: Religion / Spirituality
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Strengthen your marriage with this 100-day devotional that guides you and your spouse through everyday moments of pride, misunderstandings, and life circumstances. Couples will learn to make space to reflect Christ in their relationship through relatable stories, relevant Bible verses, and practical applications. Whether it’s been one year or fifty, draw closer to God and each other.

My Thoughts: My husband and I are both born-again Christians and have been on a spiritual journey to draw closer to God and to each other. As with many other married Christians, we want our relationship to be God centered so that we can be a blessing to each other as He has been to us individually. These devotions were easy to read along and though not all of them were applicable to us specifically, it was enjoyable to share in the personal revelations and perspectives of David and Lori.

Relationships take a lot of work, effort, patience and copious amounts of love and respect. Sharing this journey with my husband has reminded me, yet again, of the blessing He has given me in this man who walks with me sharing the joys and challenges life brings.

I highly recommend this book to everyone as it can be applied to all types of relationships at all stages of life.

Thank you to the publisher, Our Daily Bread Publishing, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban

Title: Lying in the Deep
Author: Diana Urban
Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Publisher: Penguin Group
Publication Date: May 2023
Genre: Young Adult / Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist.

After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn't be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart.

But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with….before anyone else winds up in body bags.

My Thoughts: I loved the concept of this book and was so excited to dive in. College student Jade is recovering a broken heart after her boyfriend breaks up with her in a text message and tells her he’s with her best friend, Lainey. As part of her curriculum, she joins several other college students on a four month world cruise. I loved that this cruise is full of college students from all over who will attend class and do homework while seeing the world. The awesome vacation vibe is really strong here and I would love to go on a four month cruise all over the world. Jade thinks this cruise will help put some distance between her and Silas and Lainey to give her time to process what happened and gain some perspective. Unfortunately, Silas and Lainey are also on the cruise and they don’t react well when they see her.

This story doesn’t waste any time drawing the reader in. I was indignant on Jade’s behalf that Silas and Lainey had the audacity to come on this cruise and then to act like they are the injured party. Jade meets another college student on the ship, Felix and they decide to fake date to help Jade move on and hopefully to give Silas and Lainey the proverbial finger.

The interesting thing about murders committed on a cruise ship is that there aren’t a lot of places to hide. The ship is packed with people and people witness things. Dead bodies will draw lots of attention so nobody feels safe and nobody trusts anyone. I had a lot of fun tagging along with Jade and Felix as they work to figure out who the killer is and also felt the sense of urgency they felt wondering who will be next.

The audiobook format narrated by Brittany Pressley, was exceptional and delivered the perfect amount of tension one should feel if trapped on a ship with a killer aboard. This story also provided many unexpected twists throughout the book that left me with my jaw on the floor. The ending felt a little abrupt but gave me the closure I always seek in thrillers and mysteries. I love how well this author captures the young adult mindset and emotions blending snark, humor and suspense. If you are a fan of young adult mysteries and thrillers, this author is a very good choice to go with.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to adults of all ages who enjoy twisty thrillers and mixing in a little murder and mayhem on vacation.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Group, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.