REVIEW: Sycamore Row by John Grisham

Title: Sycamore Row (Jake Brigance #2)
Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Doubleday
Publication Date: October 2013
Genre: General Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Seth Hubbard is a wealthy man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new, handwritten, will. It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County's most notorious citizens, just three years earlier.

The second will raises far more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all his fortune to his maid? Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly? And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as Sycamore Row?

My Thoughts: With Sycamore Row, the very talented John Grisham takes us back to Clanton, Mississippi and back to Jake Brigance and other much-loved characters in Clanton that left a large imprint from A Time to Kill. A few years have passed, and Jake is still struggling to make his law firm a success and dealing with the fallout of having his home torched and trying to settle the insurance claim. He doesn’t give much thought to the suicide of a wealthy man, though everyone is talking about it.

Two days after the suicide, Jake receives a letter from Seth Hubbard requesting he probate his new will, which cuts out his children and grandchildren and leaves 90% of his over $20 million estate to his black housekeeper, Lettie Lang. His letter tells Jake that there will be a fight contesting the new will and insists that Jake needs to fight to uphold the new will. Having never met Seth Hubbard before, Jake is shocked and secretly pleased that he was chosen by Mr. Hubbard to probate his will and so begins a very complex story.

Throughout this book, I, along with all the residents of Ford County, wondered why Seth Hubbard would bequeath such a substantial sum to Lettie. It’s Jake’s job to prove Seth was of sound mind and the new will is valid. Though the story is quite drawn out in the build-up, the results were significant in their impact as Jake utilizes Harry Rex Vonner and Lucien Wilbanks and their extensive skills and knowledge to build his case.

I really enjoyed this story and reuniting with the residents of Clanton again felt like a family gathering. John Grisham does an excellent job of portraying characters that are multi-dimensional but so easy to relate to and care about.

My Final Verdict: I didn’t think this book was as intense as A Time to Kill, but still delivers an interesting story with some very emotional moments that Grisham is known for. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy relationship driven stories featuring characters that leave a lasting impression.

REVIEW: Miss Wrong and Mr. Right by Robert Bryndza

Title: Miss Wrong and Mr. Right
Author: Robert Bryndza
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: May 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: ‘This is men,’ said Gran. ‘When they vant you, but you don’t vant them, they stay. But let them know you vant them, they no longer need you, and they go! It’s like that movie, Nanny McPhee.’

Natalie Love has worked hard to have it all. She runs a successful London theatre that's about to host one of Hollywood's leading stars, Ryan Harrison. She’s pretty sure she’s found her man in yoga boyfriend Benjamin, despite his annoying habit of saying Namaste! every time he speaks. And her eccentric, glamorous Hungarian Gran is always on hand to offer sage advice and steaming bowls of goulash.

Life in the bright lights of London has always been Natalie's escape from her chaotic country family in rural Devon and Jamie, the childhood sweetheart she left at the altar fifteen years ago. Until he turns up at her theatre door...

Jamie is in town producing a West End show and with rivalry suddenly clouding old feelings, this isn’t quite the reunion Natalie was expecting.

Will Benjamin prove to be Natalie’s perfect match? With Ryan turning her head, Natalie is more confused than ever. And what about Jamie – could he be her second chance at first love?

Charming, hilarious, and totally unputdownable, Miss Wrong and Mr. Right will put a huge smile on your face and keep you guessing who Natalie’s ‘Mr. Right’ is until the very last page.

My Thoughts: First of all, I must ask how I have missed not reading this author before?! This book was so entertaining and fun to read from the beginning when we first meet Natalie after she has left Jamie, literally at the altar to the end when fifteen years later, we get to see Jamie come back into her life and wonder if he really is her Mr. Right or if she should keep running. Perhaps her soul mate is her yoga boyfriend, Benjamin, who says “Namaste!” in every sentence and during sex or Hollywood heartthrob, Ryan Harrison, who Natalie has hired to perform in her theater’s production of Macbeth.

This book is full of interesting characters, some more likable than others, of course, but all with personalities that draw the reader in further to the story. Natalie’s Hungarian grandmother was a hoot, and I will never think of bunions again without thinking about Sophia Loren’s toe. Natalie’s best friend Sharon and her teenage-like crush on Ryan and the calendar she has still makes me giggle.

Benjamin and Tuppence were less than likable and gave me near migraines with the intense eye rolling their presence caused but I found myself curious as to what they would do next and what would happen as a result.

I really liked both Ryan and Jamie and thought they were down to earth characters who were decent people. I enjoyed meeting the rest of Natalie’s family and her theater mates as well.

My Final Verdict: This book delivers on every angle, comedy, drama, heartbreak filled with characters and situations any reader can relate to and enjoy. Give this one a look and you will be wondering, like me, what took you so long to find this author. I am looking forward to jumping into his other books.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Miss Wrong and Mr. Right from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Love by the Book by Melissa Pimentel

Title: Love by the Book
Author: Melissa Pimentel
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication Date: February 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit / Romantic Comedy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: A hilarious and refreshingly honest foray into modern dating, Age, Sex, Location is Bridget Jones's Diary for HBO's Girls generation.

An American living in London, Lauren is intelligent, beautiful and loves to party. So why can't she convince a man she is not after something more serious than scrambled eggs and goodbye in the morning?

Determined to snare some regular male affection, she embarks on a project: each month she will follow the rules of a different dating guide - from refusing to pay the bill to chatting up every man in her path - and will switch seamlessly to the next book at the end of each month.

Lauren's love life is about to get scientific.

My Thoughts: Enjoyable story by new to me author Melissa Pimentel based on her own personal experience chronicling several months of dating following different dating guides. Lauren is disgusted with the dating prospects facing her living in London but unlike so many women, she is not looking for something serious.

I laughed out loud throughout this book and found Lauren quite a different character with a refreshing take on modern dating and sex. She drinks and smokes and each month her goal was to find someone who is not a psychopath that she would want to have sex with. The downside to Lauren’s project is that with each guide, she reinvents herself in the hopes she will be successful. I enjoyed meeting Lauren and liked her immensely. I thought she was brave to take charge of her dating life and put herself out there, but I would have preferred she just wing it instead of trying to fit herself into the mold each dating guide expected of her.

Lauren’s roommate Lucy is also entertaining and Lauren’s interactions with the “angry bookseller” were fantastic. Some of my favorite scenes in the book involved Lauren’s interactions with these characters. I also enjoyed learning more about Lauren’s background and her family, though some of it came as a surprise.

My Final Verdict: Let’s face it, most self-help guides, especially those dealing with finding the perfect mate are pure rubbish. In the end, Lauren realizes this and decides to date herself, which I thought was brilliant. I recommend this book to readers who believe it is better to be themselves, whether they are looking for the perfect life partner or if they have already found them.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Love by the Book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron

Title: The Paris Dressmaker
Author: Kristy Cambron
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: February 2021
Genre: General Fiction / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II—from fashion houses to the city streets—comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they could not abide.

Paris, 1939. Maison Chanel has closed, thrusting haute couture dressmaker Lila de Laurent out of the world of high fashion as Nazi soldiers invade the streets and the City of Lights slips into darkness. Lila’s life is now a series of rations, brutal restrictions, and carefully controlled propaganda while Paris is cut off from the rest of the world. Yet in hidden corners of the city, the faithful pledge to resist. Lila is drawn to La Resistance and is soon using her skills as a dressmaker to infiltrate the Nazi elite. She takes their measurements and designs masterpieces, all while collecting secrets in the glamorous Hôtel Ritz—the heart of the Nazis’ Parisian headquarters. But when dashing René Touliard suddenly reenters her world, Lila finds her heart tangled between determination to help save his Jewish family and bolstering the fight for liberation.

Paris, 1943. Sandrine Paquet’s job is to catalog the priceless works of art bound for the Führer’s Berlin, masterpieces stolen from prominent Jewish families. But behind closed doors, she secretly forages for information from the underground resistance. Beneath her compliant façade lies a woman bent on uncovering the fate of her missing husband . . . but at what cost? As Hitler’s regime crumbles, Sandrine is drawn in deeper when she uncrates an exquisite blush Chanel gown concealing a cryptic message that may reveal the fate of a dressmaker who vanished from within the fashion elite.

Told across the span of the Nazi occupation, The Paris Dressmaker highlights the brave women who used everything in their power to resist darkness and restore light to their world.

My Thoughts: This was a struggle to read at times due to the terribly slow build of the story and the switching between points of view. I was tempted to give up several times, but I continued and ended up enjoying the story, following the lives of these two women walking different paths towards the common goal of helping the French Resistance and the Allied forces defeat the Nazi’s.

Lila and Sandrine do not know one another but I enjoyed how closely their lives intersect and the reader gets a real sense of the danger their lives are in at any given moment. There are several tense moments before and after the liberation of Paris when I wondered who would survive.

My Final Verdict: Fans of historical fiction should enjoy this story as well as readers of romance or women’s fiction for the relationship driven storyline. However, there is a lot to keep track of in this story and with the multiple points of view, I found it to be a challenge to keep it all straight.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Paris Dressmaker from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Post-Traumatic Brazilian Wax Syndrome by Tamara Lyon

Title: Post-Traumatic Brazilian Wax Syndrome
Author: Tamara Lyon
Publisher: Tamara Lyon
Publication Date: May 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit / Romantic Comedy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Bristow Sparks, an interior designer in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has just landed the contract of a lifetime, working for the Cherry Wyeland, volatile reality star and CEO of Wine-A-Lot. Designing for a crazy person is an around-the-clock commitment. It frays Bristow’s nerves and forces her to compromise in unimaginable ways, but, given that the finished product will be featured on The Decorating Network, she must succeed.

While her professional life is hot, her personal life is barely room temperature. After surviving the relentless media spotlight because of a personal tragedy and a traitorous ex-boyfriend, Bristow flies so far under the radar she cannot even be detected. A homebody to the core, she binges on episodes of the Showtime series, Dexter, lives in sweatpants, and is addicted to exercise and Oreos.

As for relationships? She has fallen hard and fast for witty and adventurous Jack Hoffmann. However, after their disastrous first date where Bristow collides with a park bench among other mortifying mishaps, they are unfortunately just friends. At least there is one male sharing her bed, even if it is only Vegas, her theatrical golden retriever.

For her twenty-ninth birthday, Bristow goes out of her comfort zone and gets a makeover at an elite spa. Post-Brazilian wax and in excruciating pain, Bristow realizes that she has been in a post-traumatic state for years. She vows to start taking risks again. When she finally goes after what and whom she wants, no matter the cost, tragedy strikes again . . .

My Thoughts: At the mere mention of a Brazilian wax, most women, myself included, will cringe in horror, and run as fast as our footsies will carry us. This story confirmed several things for me. The first is I will never put myself through the agony that the heroine of this story does. Even if my love life is as non-existent as Bristow’s and cobwebs are growing down there. Nope…not gonna happen. Even if my well-meaning friends buy me a multi-service gift certificate at a high-end spa because they know I would never treat myself (you got that right!!!), I will have to tell them to bugger off.

The second confirmation is relationships require communication and Bristow needed to grow a spine when it comes to the relationships in her life. She allows herself to be inconvenienced and embarrassed by her client from Hell, her ex-boyfriend, her idiot cousin, and her mother, just to name a few. When she and Jack finally speak to one another outside of the gym where she just visually stalks him, she manages to sabotage that too. Thank goodness Jack is a stand-up guy and does not let Bristow ruin it for them both. Girls need a Jack in their lives, so for Heaven’s sake, when you are blessed to find one, grab on tight and do not let go!

The third confirmation I received is when you catch your adorable dog shredding your checkbook that you had locked up, you do not take it from him and toss it on the counter. No, instead, you start questioning why said checkbook is no longer locked up! And when you further discover greasy fingerprints on your computer screen, then I would say it is a safe assumption to conclude that there has been a break-in and locking down the bank accounts, changing passwords and CALLING THE POLICE would be the logical course of action. Unfortunately, I cannot ignore Bristow’s lack of common sense in this area and this story went from a solid 4-star rating to a 3. Alarm bells were going off in my head immediately, but after discovering her home has been ransacked and there are several missed calls and voicemails from her financial advisor, Bristow just blows it off for several days. I cannot overlook that level of ignorance in a character and especially not the protagonist.

My Final Verdict: In spite of the moments where I was smacking myself in the forehead in disbelief, I found this story to be enjoyable and fun. I adored Bristow’s great-grandmother and her lack of a verbal filter had me laughing out loud several times.

I liked Bristow and Jack, individually and as a couple. Even though Bristow could use an extra helping of common sense, I found her to be genuine and sincere. I was rooting for her success both professionally and personally. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy fun stories to take along to the beach or pool this summer.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Post-Traumatic Brazilian Wax Syndrome from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Olive by Emma Gannon

Title: Olive
Author: Emma Gannon
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: June 2020
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: The debut novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author, Emma Gannon.

Independent.
Adrift.
Anxious.
Loyal.
Kind.
Knows her own mind.

OLIVE is many things, and it is ok that she is still figuring it all out, navigating her world without a compass. But life comes with expectations, there are choices to be made, boxes to tick and – sometimes – stereotypes to fulfil. And when her best friends’ lives start to branch away towards marriage and motherhood, leaving the path they have always followed together, Olive starts to question her choices – because life according to Olive looks a little bit different.

Moving, memorable and a mirror for every woman at a crossroads, OLIVE has a little bit of all of us. Told with great warmth and nostalgia, this is a modern tale about the obstacle course of adulthood, milestone decisions and the ‘taboo’ about choosing not to have children.

My Thoughts: Though I enjoyed the story overall and found the subject matter interesting, it took much too long to finish. I did not have any solid connection to the characters, so I had a difficult time mustering up any empathy for them. For the most part, they all come across as very self-centered and selfish, rather than embracing their life choices and being the supportive “best” friends that the reader is led to believe they are.

The decision to have children or not is a very personal choice and, for some, they are not given a choice, as one of the characters is dealing with infertility issues. Olive decides she does not want to have children but her three best friends, Bea, Cecily, and Isla all do, so it feels quite uneven as the lives of Olive’s best friends seem to take off in a different direction, which leaves Olive isolated. After she and her long-term boyfriend end their relationship, Olive does not feel she can talk to her friends about it because the break-up was because Olive chooses child-free, and Jacob wants to start a family.

The issue of whether to have children or not causes walls to go up between Olive and her friends as they all stand firm on their beliefs and choices, rightly so, but somehow a line has been drawn and there is an unspoken expectation that sides must be chosen. Most of the story centers around each character defending their choice and the resulting conflict and strain it brings into these friendships.

My Final Verdict: Life is not always a picnic, being an adult is not all it is cracked up to be and interpersonal relationships are a lot of work. I recommend this story to readers who enjoy stories that have realistic issues and conflict that the characters must face. Sometimes life is messy, sometimes it is amazing, and this story was a good reminder that nothing in life worth having ever comes easy.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Olive from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson

Title: Mother May I
Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 2021
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Revenge doesn’t wait for permission.

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course, Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?

My Thoughts: Mother May I by new to me author Joshilyn Jackson takes the reader on a fast paced, twisty and suspenseful story about a woman whose baby is kidnapped practically under her nose and the journey she has to go on to get her child back. I was initially surprised that the protagonist and kidnapper connected on an emotional level, though there is still anger and fear on Bree’s part as well as desperation. The kidnapper appears hostile, bitter and angry at the start but the reader is given a sense of the pain she has gone through and the level of desperation she is also feeling to exact the revenge she feels she is owed to make everything right.

I really enjoyed that the lines between good and evil in this story are very blurry, making it a challenge for the reader to empathize with only the mother of the kidnapped child. I even began to feel some empathy for the kidnapper as well as more layers of the story were peeled back. I liked Bree and the range of emotions she expresses were easy to relate to. The author does an excellent job of creating characters that are so well developed, they come alive on the page. The plot is very complex and not one I could easily predict the outcome; there are several moments in the story that took me by surprise and the ending was completely unexpected. I listened to the audio version of this story, which was narrated by the author, who did an excellent job with the different voices and the precise elements needed for each scene, which I feel would have been missing had I read this book in my voice.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story for readers who like complex plots featuring characters that demonstrate many layers to their personalities. Fans of domestic thrillers, suspense and women’s fiction novels will find this book appealing and riveting. I really enjoyed this author’s style and will be looking for more of her work.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Mother May I from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Witness to Slaughter by K.A. Lugo

Title: Witness to Slaughter (Jack Slaughter Thrillers #2)
Author: K.A. Lugo
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Publication Date: December 2020
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Jack has coped through previous holidays, but this one feels different. It's been four years since he lost his family, and clues to finding those responsible have dried up. Hopelessness has him so tightly wound that he's often driven out of his claustrophobic apartment before the ever-present black dog of depression drags him to a place where there's no coming back from.

Jack wants to be left alone with his sorrow, but when he's offered double his fee by the wife of one of the city's most elite families, how can he refuse? She wants him to follow her husband, Franklin, as she suspects he's cheating and needs photos to get around the strict prenup. Franklin leads Jack across the city to The Majestic Lounge, the Castro District's most popular gay nightclub. By the time he finds Franklin, Jack is forced to break up a heated argument between him and club owner, Chad Lucas.

Lucas approaches Jack the following day, wanting to hire him for added security during the club's popular annual Drag Queen Extravaganza. The event's usual excitement is marred by the deaths of several of Lucas' friends that authorities are calling suicides. Lucas convinces Jack something more nefarious is going on and agrees to the job.

Does the city have another serial killer on its hands, one who's targeting the LGBTQ community? Can Jack find a witness? Surely in the crowded nightclub, someone must have seen something.

My Thoughts: K.A. Lugo delivers another intense thriller and a complex case for Jack Slaughter, one of the most interesting characters I have had the pleasure to get to know. Jack has not come any closer to discovering who murdered his daughter and dog or where his wife is, and I worry he may give in to his dark thoughts. I really like this character. He has suffered the worst kind of pain imaginable and it has cost him everything. In spite of that, he doesn’t take it out on those around him who care about him. He withdraws into himself and tries to stay busy taking long walks in sketchy neighborhoods at God-awful hours or have the occasional booze bender.

I really enjoyed this case Jack is hired to do, which goes beyond, way beyond, the typical husband cheating, wife needs proof so she can take him to the cleaners. I found the gay bar and drag queen backdrop very interesting and a little intriguing. Jack follows his client’s husband to The Majestic Lounge where he is known as Carol. After breaking up an argument between Carol and the club owner, Jack is hired by the club owner for security detail as several patrons of the club have died and the police are ruling them all suicides.

Jack and his former partner, Ray Navarro, team up once again to investigate these deaths as the clues and evidence do not point to suicide. This story really worked all of my emotions, anticipation, surprise, amusement and sadness and I loved seeing Ray and his wife, Maria with a sizable role in this book. You really can’t ask for better friends than these people and if Jack is ever going to find his way out of his depression, I believe these people will be part of the reason for that. The author did a brilliant job researching her subject matter and environment and gives the reader a lot to consider while putting the pieces together.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend Witness to Slaughter to readers who enjoy intense thrillers featuring characters that are complex but easy to care about and relate to. I look forward to another adventure with Jack.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Witness to Slaughter from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Shadows in Death (In Death #51)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: September 2020
Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Lt. Eve Dallas is about to walk into the shadows of her husband's dangerous past.

As it often did since he had married a cop, murder interrupted more pleasant activities. Then again, Roarke supposed, the woman lying in a pool of her own blood a few steps inside the arch in Washington Square Park had a heftier complaint.

When a night out at the theatre is interrupted by the murder of a young woman in Washington Square Park, it seems like an ordinary case for Detective Eve Dallas and her team. But when Roarke spots a shadow from his past in the crowd, Eve realizes that this case is far from business as usual.

Eve has two complex cases on her hands - the shocking murder of this wealthy young mother and tracking down the shadow before he can strike again, this time much closer to home. Eve is well used to being the hunter, but how will she cope when the tables are turned? As Eve and the team follow leads to Roarke's hometown in Ireland, the race is on to stop the shadow making his next move . . .

My Thoughts: Another wonderful installment that brings Roarke’s shadowy past into the spotlight when a case Eve catches leads her to a killer who is determined to destroy Roarke. This story takes the reader back to Ireland to visit with Roarke’s family, which is always a treat, because it really throws Eve out of her element being around a large and loving family. I have enjoyed watching her adjust and accept these people as her family as well.

I thought the villain was intriguing as well. Plain old-fashioned jealousy motivates him. He grew up with Roarke and wanted the approval and acceptance of Roarke’s father probably more than Roarke did. His need to always outshine Roarke still drives him, but he does not factor in Eve and her tenacity.

There are some very intense scenes that Eve struggles with and her worry over the safety of those around her plays to her strengths, which I have always admired in this character. This series continues to be very character driven, with interpersonal relationships at the center of each story. I feel a connection with these characters, they are part of my family and that is crucial for a reader.

My Final Verdict: As with most of this series, there is not a lot I can say that I have not already said before. This series continues to surprise and entertain me. I anticipate the next installment with excitement, like a child coming downstairs on Christmas morning to see what Santa left.

REVIEW: The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

Title: The Perfect Marriage
Author: Jeneva Rose
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Publication Date: July 2020
Genre: Suspense / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Sarah Morgan is a successful and powerful defense attorney in Washington D.C. As a named partner at her firm, life is going exactly how she planned. The same cannot be said for her husband, Adam. He's a struggling writer who has had little success in his career and he tires of his and Sarah’s relationship as she is constantly working. Out in the secluded woods, at the couple’s lake house, Adam engages in a passionate affair with Kelly Summers.

But one morning everything changes. Kelly is found brutally stabbed to death and now, Sarah must take on her hardest case yet, defending her own husband, a man accused of murdering his mistress.

My Thoughts: A very enjoyable domestic thriller filled with lots of twists, turns and surprises. The Perfect Marriage by new to me author Jeneva Rose explores the marriage of a couple who, on the surface, appear to have it all. Attorney Sarah and writer Adam have been married for several years. The reality is Adam is struggling with his career and Sarah is the primary financial contributor to the household, which Adam deeply resents. He resents the time Sarah spends away from him working. Sarah purchases a vacation home for them where Adam goes on the weekends supposedly to clear his head and get some writing done. Instead, he begins an affair with a local girl who is married to one of the sheriff’s deputies.

Everything changes for Adam when the murdered body of his mistress is discovered in the bedroom of the vacation house and Adam is subsequently arrested and charged for the crime. Everything changes for Sarah when she learns about Adam’s arrest and decides to defend him at his trial.

First of all, let me start out with a big BOO HOO for Adam. None of this would have happened if he had just manned up and quit whining about what is missing in his life and instead tried to be a little more appreciative for Sarah carrying the burden. The writing isn’t working for you? How about get off your behind and get a different job? It would be an understatement to say that I found Adam to be less than likable and felt minimal sympathy for him.

As the story progresses and my shock that Sarah is willing to defend him subsides, the question of Adam’s guilt becomes more of an issue as several potential suspects exist which left me wondering if Adam really committed this murder or if he was being set up. Everyone from Kelly’s husband, a creepy stalkerish customer of Kelly’s, to the sheriff himself appeared to have motive and opportunity as well. This story kept me engaged all the way to the end.

In addition to the interesting plot, I thought the characters were well developed and interesting. In addition to Sarah and Adam, there was Adam’s mother who was completely awful to Sarah throughout the entire book. Sarah’s friend Matthew was entertaining and characters from Sarah’s firm brought more depth to the story.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story to fans of the suspense and thriller genres as well as readers who enjoy stories that pull out all the stops to provide the reader with numerous twists that keep the reader in a state of heightened anticipation for what is coming next.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Perfect Marriage from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: After All I've Done by Mina Hardy

Title: After All I’ve Done
Author: Mina Hardy
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: Suspense / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN |

Description: Writing as Mina Hardy, New York Times bestselling author Megan Hart delivers a thrilling new psychological suspense for fans of The Woman in the Window and When the Lights Go Out.

She's lost her best friend, her husband--and possibly, her mind.

Five months ago, an accident left Diana Sparrow badly injured and missing a few months of her memory. As if that's not enough, she's started having recurring nightmares about the night of the accident. Dreams that feel so real, she's left questioning: maybe she didn't just slide off the road into a ditch. Maybe, just maybe, she hit something. Or someone.

She can't turn to her former best friend Val, who's been sleeping with Diana's husband Jonathan for months, but she might find some comfort in newcomer Cole Pelham. Yet the closer they become, the more Diana begins to wonder what really happened that night--and how Cole might be connected. Worse, it seems everyone else could be involved, too.

Who was with her that night? What really happened? As her life unravels thread by thread and the dreams become too real to ignore, Diana will have to face the unthinkable--and do the unforgivable.

My Thoughts: This was a real page turner of a suspense novel that centers on a woman recovering from a horrific car accident suffering from amnesia and nightmares that leaves her wondering just who she can trust. Her mother in law appears at first glance as a loving and caring nurturing type who only wants to help, which is necessary because when both of your collarbones are broken, even the simplest tasks like washing your hair is nearly impossible. The nurturing, caring façade quickly starts to feel clingy and obsessive. The husband and the best friend are sleeping together and not everything is as it appears. I even began to wonder who in this story I could trust.

As Diana begins to regain her memories and learns some shocking truths about her mother, best friend and husband, survival becomes her priority. This story shocked me on so many levels beginning with the revelation that Diana knows her husband and her best friend are having an affair and when the layers start getting peeled back, more surprises and shock ensues.

I thought Diana and Cole were good characters, easy to relate to but not sure about their relationship and whether Cole could be trusted at first. The story moves at a very good pace, keeping me engaged in the plot without getting too mired in irrelevant details.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story to fans of the suspense or domestic thriller genres and also to readers who like to be surprised by unexpected twists in the plot that leave the reader’s pulse pounding.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of After All I’ve Done from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Unfaithful by Natalie Barelli

 Title: Unfaithful
 Author: Natalie Barelli
 Publisher: Bookouture
 Publication Date: November 2020
 Genre: Mystery / Thriller
 Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

 Description: “Thank you,” I say sweetly when she tells me I’m lucky to have  such a beautiful family. But I want to tell her it’s not just luck. A family is like a fortress you have to defend all the time. You can’t relax because there’s always someone looking for a breach, always someone trying to get in. Someone just like her…

When I arrive unannounced at my husband’s studio in need of a shoulder to cry on after hearing that my best student, Alex, has died, I see a pair of wineglasses drying by the sink and my deepest fear is confirmed: my husband is having an affair.

Most women would fall to their knees in tears and throw him out of the house—but I just can’t bring myself to do it.

Instead, I go home and cook a healthy dinner for our children, walk the dog and unload the dishwasher without complaint. I will make him see that I’m still the woman he married; attractive, successful, the glue that holds our perfect family together. I need this marriage to work to protect a terrible secret of my own, something that would destroy everything I’ve already sacrificed so much for.

But when the police arrive at my door asking questions about Alex’s death that I can’t answer, and threatening text messages start appearing on my phone, I know that someone close has been watching me very carefully.

The truth is, there are three people in my marriage, but only one of them is deadly…

My Thoughts: On the surface, this story appears to be another typical marriage on the rocks cheating spouse story. The main character is Anna, a university professor who is working with one of her students on a paper to solve a complex math problem that will award a substantial prize to the winner. Unfortunately, things go horribly wrong for Anna when the student dies and her life starts to unravel in nearly every area. She learns her husband is having an affair and instead of confronting him and dealing with it, she buries her head in the sand.

Without giving away the extent her bizarre behavior affects her and the road she ends up on, I will say that she compounds her problems by making so many bad decisions and choices. The lines between right and wrong became so blurry, I had a difficult time keeping it straight. Several moments in this book had me wondering if she were the actual villain of the story or just a participant in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because of that, I didn’t feel a lot of empathy for this character and several times felt she was a few sandwiches short of a picnic and we all would do well to run in the opposite direction.

Anna has many secrets of her own and her marriage appears to be the only good thing in her life. This story had me wondering how far she would go to hold on to it. Most people would argue that if your spouse is cheating on you, it’s not a good marriage and you should cut your losses and run but Anna is determined, almost obsessed, with keeping her marriage intact.

My Final Verdict: In spite of not liking the character or agreeing with her choices and decisions, this story was riveting and hard to put down. I had to know what was going to happen next. Who would come out on top? This story kept me on the edge of my seat totally unprepared for the outcome, which blew me away. I recommend this story to readers who enjoy complex characters that don’t have to be likable or stories that captivate the reader so much, the reader forgets what a train wreck the characters are.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Unfaithful from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

Title: Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist
Author: Codi Hall
Publisher: Audible Audio
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Christmas Holiday / Chick-Lit
Buy the Book: Audible | Amazon | BN

Description: Press play on happily ever after in this charming, heartfelt holiday rom-com.

Nick Winters and Noel Carter have known each other their whole lives. After years of shared family holidays, working together on the Winters’ Christmas tree farm, and being each other's safe haven, they wouldn't dream of crossing the line from friends to something more....

But when Nick comes home for the holidays after serving overseas and finds that his long-term girlfriend has decided to get her stocking stuffed elsewhere, Noel is there to pick him up and show him that instead of a Blue Christmas he can still have a Wonderful Christmastime without his cheating ex.

A night on the town and an impulsive kiss later has Noel thinking that perhaps this year they’ll be rockin’ around the Christmas tree as a couple, but only if the ghost - er rather - girlfriend of Nick's Christmas past doesn’t decide to haunt their holiday....

My Thoughts: This title popped up on my audible recommendations and was perfect for a quick listen to add to my Christmas holiday reading list. An enjoyable story that had me smiling all the way to the end. I really liked Nick and Noel and the premise of their shared love of music and playlists.

Best friends growing up, Noel is a part of Nick’s family and she has Nick’s back. As close as they are, it surprised me they weren’t a couple long before as their chemistry is so obvious, but Noel keeps people at a distance and is afraid of opening her heart to anyone, afraid she will lose them as she lost her parents when she was a teenager. I really enjoyed seeing Noel open up and let her guard down.

My Final Verdict: Solid story and great narration made for a good read to add to my Christmas cheer of 2020.

REVIEW: 'Twas the Knife Before Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

Title: ‘Twas the Knife Before Christmas (Christmas Tree Farm Mystery #2)
Author: Jacqueline Frost
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: November 2018
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: SWEET JUSTICE

When a body turns up in the dumpster behind Caroline’s Cupcakes, the store’s owner is the main suspect. Everyone in town saw Caroline fighting with the victim on the night of his death. Worse, the murder weapon is Caroline’s custom-designed butcher knife. But Holly White knows that her best friend isn’t capable of murder.

Now, just ten days before Christmas, Holly’s up to her jingle bells in holiday shenanigans. Juggling extra shifts at her family’s Christmas tree farm and making enough gingerbread jewelry to satisfy the crowd is already more than she can handle. Add in her budding relationship with the sheriff, and Holly’s ready to fly south until springtime. But her mittens come off when Caroline is taken into custody. Can Holly wrap up the case in time for Christmas?

My Thoughts: One would think after nearly losing her life, the last thing Holly White would ever do again is insert herself into another murder investigation, placing herself in the killer’s sights and risking all sorts of danger to herself. Despite Holly’s apparent lack of common sense, another charming installment of the Christmas Tree Farm mystery series brings us back to Holly’s world, her family’s Christmas tree farm brimming with holiday spirit, festivities and another murder. This time, Holly’s best friend Caroline is the main suspect after a body is found stabbed with one of Caroline’s butcher knives. Caroline was also seen arguing with the victim, so it doesn’t look good for her. Much to hunky sheriff Evan’s, displeasure, Holly once again begins asking questions.

The story moves at a good pace and with several possible suspects besides Caroline, I was unable to figure it out before the big reveal. In addition to the regular characters that I have come to care about, this installment brings the arrival of Evan’s little sister from Boston under some unusual circumstances as well as construction for the new inn is well underway which will bring more visitors to Reindeer Games and hopefully more opportunities for murder and mayhem sprinkled with a little Christmas spirit.

My Final Verdict: Another great addition to my Christmas reading list that could be read any time of the year, but really recommend reading it with a steaming mug of cocoa and a plate of snickerdoodles while waiting for St. Nick to make his appearance.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of ’Twas the Knife Before Christmas from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Eight Winter Nights by Liz Maverick

Title: Eight Winter Nights
Author: Liz Maverick
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: November 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Contemporary Romance / Christmas
Buy the Book: Audible

Description: Cozy up with this warm, festive rom com novella about being true to your heart, the friendships that define us, and the irresistible pull of holiday magic.

Last year, Rachel Bacharach met the man of her dreams at a Hanukkah party — and then her outgoing best friend Tamara swooped in and “called” Oz Caplan for herself. It’s a typical outcome for the dependable, bookish Rachel, who is never able to extinguish the spark she immediately felt for Oz. But being secretly in love with her best friend’s boyfriend all year hasn’t been easy.

As this year’s party approaches, Oz and Tamara break up. It’s a worst-case scenario when Oz asks Rachel to help him write Tamara love letters to win her back in time for their Hanukkah anniversary. Rachel’s been writing love letters to Oz in her journals for a year; she knows all the words he would need. But will Rachel be able to hide her true feelings from Oz any longer? And might this year’s party finally be Rachel’s chance to trust her heart and put everything on the line for love?

My Thoughts: It really frustrates me when the girl meets the guy of her dreams and loses him to her best friend before she ever has a chance to give it a go. I chose this story because I wanted more Christmas theme books for the holiday and the idea that Rachel is asked by her best friend to look after Oz after they break up was intriguing to me.

Rachel met Oz at a Hanukkah party the year before and before she could see where it would go, her best friend makes a grand appearance and calls dibs on him. Rachel has been in love with Oz ever since but only shares her feelings in her journal. A year later, Oz and Tamara break up, he hurts his leg and Tamara leaves the country on vacation. Tamara asks Rachel to look after Oz and Oz asks Rachel to help him write letters to Tamara in the hopes of winning her back.

This story should have frustrated me because Rachel comes across as a complete doormat, Oz is an idiot for not getting with Rachel in the first place and what kind of friend is Tamara to just think of herself? Instead of getting frustrated, I continued with the story to see how it would play out and it turned out to be one of my favorites for my Christmas reading of 2020.

Thankfully, Oz doesn’t spend the entire book pining over Tamara and begins to wonder if he had spent the last year with the wrong woman as he sees Rachel as more than just one of his best friends. I really enjoyed that we got both Rachel and Oz’s points of view throughout the story, which made the story more enjoyable. The chemistry between Oz and Rachel was palpable and though Oz was clueless when they first met, I enjoyed his confusion when he gets the clue. I couldn’t help but like Rachel. She is selfless and caring of the people she loves, even at her own expense. Yeah, she’s a doormat, but she’s a loyal one and she was easy to like and relate to. I wanted to despise Tamara and, to be honest, I had a bone to pick with her for most of the book. She comes across as vain, selfish and inconsiderate, considering she just dumps her boyfriend, who is injured and goes on vacation AND refuses to answer her phone, return calls or respond to text messages! She surprises me in the end, showing a different side of her personality and redeems herself.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this story to readers who are looking for an interesting story to make the Christmas season sweeter.

REVIEW: A Highland Ghost For Christmas by Jo-Ann Carson

Title: A Highland Ghost for Christmas (Gambling Ghosts #1)
Author: Jo-Ann Carson
Publisher: JRT Publications
Publication Date: November 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Christmas
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Jilted by her fiancé, librarian Maddy Jacobson is nursing a broken heart, when her best friend gives her an early Christmas present. Intended to be a fun, psychic reading in a spooky, tea house, the gift turns out to be life changing. Maddy becomes haunted by a mischievous, Highland ghost.

Ruggedly handsome, Cullen Macfie, the Highlander, has been dead for over three centuries, and never in all those years has he been so attracted to a woman, as he is to Maddy. He falls hopelessly in love and decides to woo her.

Can there be a future for a librarian and a naughty, Highland ghost?

A Highland Ghost for Christmas is a sweet, romantic comedy guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart, make you laugh out loud and leave you craving a man in a kilt … and shortbread, of course.

My Thoughts: After a psychic reading in a tea house promising her not just one man in her life, but two, broken-hearted librarian Maddy meets Cullen Macfie, a Scottish Highlander. The only problem is Cullen is dead. For over 300 years, Cullen has been a ghost who spends his eternity being mischievous and playing poker with other ghosts. Cullen spots Maddy in the teahouse and is smitten so he makes a deal with his angelic counselor to allow him to try to mend Maddy’s heart.

This was a cute story and I loved the chemistry between Maddy and Cullen. Their interactions ranging from Christmas tree decorating and baking were a hilarious endeavor and thoroughly enjoyable. I also liked the second man, Hank, making an appearance in Maddy’s life. I’m not a fan of love triangles at all, but this story appealed because you can’t help but like Cullen and his determination to show her that love finds a way.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this book to anyone looking for some fun and stress relief during the busy Christmas season. This is the first book in a series that has me curious about what’s next.

REVIEW: It's A Wonderful Wife by Camille Pagan

Title: It’s a Wonderful Wife
Author: Camille Pagan
Publisher: Audible Originals
Publication Date: December 2020
Genre: Christmas / Romantic Comedy
Buy The Book: Audible

Description: In this charming and heartwarming retelling of Frank Capra’s classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Camille Pagán, best-selling author of This Won’t End Well and I’m Fine and Neither Are You, introduces us to Bailey, a dutiful yet sharp-witted 30-something who finds herself on the verge of a nervous breakdown as Christmas Eve approaches. As if it wasn’t enough that Bailey’s husband has just cheated on her, the family business she’s been running since her parents died, which employs most of her small town, is about to go under. But even as she’s questioning whether her life has any meaning, Bailey bumps into a handsome stranger who claims to know her - and through a series of strange events, sheds new light on what it means to make a difference in this messy, wonderful world.

My Thoughts: Story was OK, a modern spin on It's A Wonderful Life, but very somber for a Christmas setting. Woman's company is in dire financial trouble and she needs her estranged husband to loan her the money to make payroll because how can you shut down your company, putting hundreds of people out of work at Christmas? She begins to wonder if everything would have been better had she never been born. Everything works out in the end, but I could have used more Christmas whimsy in this story.

REVIEW: The Christmas Pact by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Title: The Christmas Pact
Author: Vi Keeland / Penelope Ward
Publisher: Audible Original
Publication Date: December 2019
Genre: Christmas / Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Heat up the holidays with this sizzling new novella from New York Times best-selling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward!

Riley Kennedy’s emails keep getting crossed with her colleague, Kennedy Riley.

The infuriating man forwards them along with his annoying commentary and unsolicited advice. At least she never has to see him in person since they work in different locations…until they come face to face at the office holiday party. As luck would have it, Kennedy turns out to be gorgeous…though still a jerk. Yet somehow, he’s able to charm her out on the dance floor—and convince her to participate in his crazy scheme: He’ll go home with Riley for a Christmas party and pretend to be her boyfriend if Riley agrees to be his date to a wedding.

It sounds easy enough. But little by little, the act they’re putting on starts to feel like so much more than a Christmas pact—and Riley’s about to learn there’s more to Kennedy than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts: Short, cute story about a woman who is frustrated her emails keep getting crossed with her colleague. To make the situation more annoying, her colleague, Kennedy Riley, is an arrogant jerk who forwards her emails back to her with unsolicited comments or advice.

I really liked the chemistry between these characters and though he irritates her to no end, I thought Kennedy was a great character and Riley could use some loosening up. When Kennedy proposes a plan to get their respective families off their backs, Riley surprises herself by agreeing to it. Kennedy will accompany Riley to her parent’s home for their annual Christmas party and she will be his date for a family wedding. I know this is a plot device that has been used over and over again in so many books, but it works really well here.

I really enjoyed watching these characters begin to develop feelings for one another and let their walls down to take a chance on love. It was a perfect addition to my holiday reading list.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romances, romantic comedies and for readers who are looking for a Christmas theme to make their holiday festivities a little merrier and brighter.

REVIEW: A Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton

 Title: A Timeless Christmas
 Author: Alexis Stanton
 Publisher: Hallmark Publishing
 Publication Date: October 2018
 Genre: Time Travel Romance / Christmas Holiday
 Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

 Description: They’re from two different   centuries, but they’re perfect for each other.

 Megan Turner is in love with the past. As a tour guide at a beautiful historic mansion, she tells visitors about its original owner, Charles Whitley. An inventor and businessman in the early 1900s, he rose from poverty to wealth…only to disappear without a trace.

Charles was always intrigued by the future. He just never expected to go there. But when he repairs a mysterious clock he bought on his travels, he’s transported to the twenty-first century, with his home decorated for Christmas and overrun by strangers.

Charles is determined to find a way back to his own era, especially when he learns about what happened after he left. But as Megan introduces him to the wonders of smartphones, pizza, and modern holiday traditions, they both feel a once-in-a-lifetime connection. Could it be that, somewhere in time, they belong together?

My Thoughts: A sweet story about a man who travels from 1902 to the present day to discover his home has been decorated for Christmas and turned into a museum with strangers walking about. Charles Whitley was a man ahead of his time in 1902. A wealthy and successful businessman and inventor, he made his mark on the world in 1902, lives in a beautiful mansion he designed and has a fiancée that he keeps at arm’s length. Upon returning from a trip to Paris, he begins working on a clock and in the blink of an eye is transported to the 21st century.

He meets the staff that run the museum that used to be his home and despite the amazing changes he has seen and the attraction he feels for Megan Turner, the historian who reenacts the role of his housekeeper, Rosie, he is determined to return to his own time to live the life he was meant to have before he disappeared.

Megan loves her job at the museum and loves history. Her dream is to teach history at the university. The last person she ever expects is to meet the real Charles Whitley in his study, newly arrived from 1902 and quite annoyed at the intrusion of strangers in his home.

This story was a very quick read. Charles adapts exceedingly well to his surroundings but when he learns what has transpired since he left his time, he is determined to go back. Megan and the rest of the staff at the museum easily suspend disbelief and accept Charles assertions that he is THE Charles Whitley. In the present day, he learns to let his hair down a little bit and enjoy the festivities of the holiday. I had a little bit of an issue how Megan bought him a cell phone, food and personal care items and loaned him a bunch of her brother’s clothes without really knowing him, but since it’s Christmas and she’s moved by the spirit of giving, I can accept it. Charles is a true gentleman throughout the story and though their attraction to one another is plain to see by everyone around them, they never get past the hugging stage.

I really enjoyed this story and thought Charles and Megan were fantastic characters, well written and easy to relate to. I recommend this book to readers who love time travel and Christmas themes but also readers who are looking for something sweet to add to the flavor of the holiday.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of A Timeless Christmas from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: A Better Man by Leah McLaren

  

  Title: A Better Man
  Author: Leah McLaren
  Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  Publication Date: July 2015
  Genre: Women’s Fiction
  Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

  Description: Every couple has a wish list.

  Maya wants
  Nick to come home earlier
  To engage with their children
  To engage with her

Nick wants . . .
A divorce

Having decided that their marriage is over, Nick is determined to leave quickly and with dignity. But when he looks into the financial realities of splitting up, he realizes that more of his hard-earned income than he can handle will go to Maya. Then a mutual friend proposes that Nick improve the marriage in order to end it amicably, because the better father and husband he is, the more self-sufficient Maya becomes and the cheaper his pay-out will be at the end.

But as Nick sets out to be a better man, he starts to feel like one. Time with his kids, dinners with his wife, fewer hours in the office has the strange effect of making him happier. As Maya starts to feel appreciated by her husband again, she starts to blossom, to unclench her fists from the parenting reins and start to do things for herself.

Nick and Maya feel like they are falling back in love. How odd, how funny, how serendipitous. But if Maya knew what had promoted this marital metamorphosis? Then it would be war.

A BETTER MAN is the story of a modern marriage on the rocks, how we constantly change in and out of relationships, and the price of love.

My Thoughts: Of all the species on the planet, humans have been given the amazing ability to think and feel, not just behave on instinct. We have the ability to feel empathy and compassion, make decisions based on logic, facts and evidence. Humans also have the ability to resolve conflict. Unlike the animals we share this planet with, humans can also demonstrate selfishness, greed, corruption and hate, just to name a few.

Nick and Maya Wakefield are that couple that appear to have it all. Amazing careers, beautiful twins, secure, cushy lifestyle. Somewhere along the way, she and Nick have lost the spark that brought them together in the first place. Maya gave up her career in law to be a stay at home mother and is consumed with over-protectiveness, bordering on obsession. I got the impression that Nick is a bystander in his home, not quite participating, just observing. Nick decides he wants out and after he talks to his best friend, Gray who is a divorce attorney, Nick is given the news that divorce will cost him more than he is willing to give up. Gray suggests to him that he should improve his marriage, become a better husband and father before splitting up so that the settlement will weigh more in his favor.

This whole premise knocked me back a little bit. Become a better husband and father, improve your marriage BEFORE YOU END IT? Wait, what? Isn’t the point of improving your marriage is so you don’t end it? This philosophy, though seriously messed up, was quite intriguing to me and what drew me into this story. Nick takes Gray’s advice to heart and actively sets out to be a better husband and father. Devoting more time to the family, spending time at home, picking up the slack and taking a more active role in the relationship. Nick is thoroughly shocked and amazed that he actually begins to FEEL like a better man. Maya notices it too and though she is confused and suspicious in the beginning at the practically overnight change she is seeing in her husband, she quickly embraces and accepts it and begins to relax more and be less obsessed about maintaining control over the household and everyone in it.

Though I thought it was shady of Nick to speak to Gray behind Maya’s back and thought it exceedingly underhanded of him to change on the surface so it would benefit him, I sensed that he really did change. I hoped he would come clean to Maya about not only why he changed his behavior on the outside, but how it also changed him on the inside. Just when I thought these two had struck the mother lode with the fix to all relationship problems, the proverbial cat is let out of the bag. Saying Maya doesn’t react well to the news is an understatement of epic proportion. She quickly moves out of their home with the children and starts divorce proceedings. She is completely unwilling to speak to Nick at all, which I totally understood, but it still frustrated me.

I liked both of these characters and wanted to see them succeed in their marriage. I didn’t agree with Nick’s tactics and I didn’t agree with Maya’s “take no prisoners” reaction but I could relate to both of them and where they were coming from. I couldn’t help but think if they had applied this kind of drive into making their marriage a priority in the first place, they wouldn’t be in this mess. As the most advanced and evolved species on the planet, humans sure know how to muck it up and do it well. I enjoyed this author’s voice and writing style. The story moves at a nice pace with enough detail to keep the reader engaged.

My Final Verdict: An all too realistic story-line for the times we live in but underneath the few top layers of two people all too ready to throw in the towel are two people who learn that sometimes pride needs to be chucked out the window and fighting for love is worth it. I recommend this story to anyone who has been in a relationship, which is most, if not all of us. We’ve all been there, at that cross-roads, when we have had to decide whether to throw in the towel or give it another shot.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of A Better Man from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.