Sadie Way Scott has found success with her internet cooking show that shares stories of family and cherished recipes.  She has done everything she can to limit trips back home to Sugarberry Cove, but when she gets a phone call that her mother has suffered a heart attack, Sadie finds herself right back at her family B & B.  

Leala Clare haș dedicated herself to her young son and her marriage, but recently her life isn't quite as rosy as she has imagined it.  She too returns home after her mother's heart attack to help with the family business.  

Leala Clare and Sadie Way both have so much hurt buried along with many secrets.  Will this time together help them to uncover those truths and heal those deep wounds?  

I enjoyed the Southern setting of the novel and appreciated the multi-generational, multi-layered characters.  I loved the cooking show idea and really wished I could tune it to watch a real episode.  It was a heartwarming story of forgiveness, healing, growth and the many paths love can take.  

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

The Riviera House is everything I love about historical fiction.  It had characters that spoke to me long after I closed the book, locations that I could clearly see in my mind both heartbreaking and beautiful, and an inspiring look at a time in our history when everyday people became heroes.  

In 1939 Paris, Eliane can not idly stand by while the Germans remove precious artworks from the Louvre, its museums, and confiscate private collections from their Jewish owners across the country.  She finds herself in a unique position to spy on the Germans and work against their efforts  They think her an ignorant "fraulein" who doesn't speak German, and she plans to keep it that way.  

​Present day, Remy is dealing with the unimaginable grief of losing both her husband and her young daughter.  She escapes to a home she has inherited along the French Riviera to shoot photos for her latest look book of vintage fashion and to try to piece her life back together.  

The Riviera House was one of those stories that stayed with me so much so that I was thinking about the characters even when I wasn't reading the book.  It made me really think about those people responsible for saving our world's artistic treasures and preserving those masterpieces for the generations to follow.  The author does a magnificent job of detailing the locations, both in Paris and of course the Riviera House that you feel utterly transported to both the brutal winter of the German occupation of France to the sun drenched beaches near the Riviera House.  The characters come to life as well, as you are inspired by Eliane's bravery as she defies the German officers and you feel Remy's deepest grief over the loss of her daughter.  

This book was so well researched that I wanted to delve further into all the historical facts after reading it.  The author's blog has many photos, including a photo of the house that was the inspiration for The Riviera House and further details regarding her research process.  Here is a link to her blog:  https://www.natashalester.com.au/blog

​I also loved the nod to vintage fashion through Remy's business and the tribute to the wonderful fashion photographers as well.  The Riviera House definitely made me a fan of Natasha Lester and her work.  I look forward to reading many more of her books.  

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

The Necklace is the perfect read for these cool fall nights.  It is suspenseful, dark, and fast paced which is exactly the type of book I want to delve into as I'm drawn deeper and deeper into the plot with each turn of the page.  

Susan Lentigo's daughter was murdered twenty years ago, and her life has pretty much been stuck in a holding pattern ever since that time.  Now she is on her way to the execution of her daughter's murderer and hopefully opening a new chapter of her life now that her daughter Amy will have justice.  During her road trip from New York to the North Dakota, Susan unexpectedly uncovers new information that draws into question whether or not the right person has been convicted for Amy's death.  Can Susan determine if the Monster awaiting his execution is the person responsible for  Amy's death or is another Monster out there just waiting for his next victim?

As I was reading this novel, I was already visualizing which actors would play the various characters in the story, so it's no surprise that this novel has already been optioned for a film with Leonardo DiCaprio directing.  The characters are so vivid, both flawed and genuine at the same time.  The story is gripping and the switch back and forth from the time of the crime to present day, keeps you on the edge of your seat.  

If you are looking for a solid murder/mystery novel, then The Necklace fits the bill.  I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Such a Quiet Place is a suspenseful read that almost makes you feel like you are navigating a maze of mirrors.  Just when you think you know where the mystery is headed, it twist and turns in completely different direction.  

Hollow's Edge was a quiet community where many of the neighbors were co-workers and friends.  Until the murder of Brandon and Fiona Truett, when it became apparent someone among them had done the unthinkable.  Ruby Fletcher was convicted of the murders and sent to prison.  A year and a half later, Ruby's conviction is overturned and she is released from prison, only to show back up in Hollow's Edge on the doorsteps of her former roommate Harper Nash.  Harper is torn between welcoming Ruby back into her life, and suspecting Ruby got away with murder.  It's clear Ruby has returned, but unclear whether she is hunting for revenge or the real killer.

At one point or another, I suspected each and every character of being the murderer. The author does an excellent job of making you consider what every character might be hiding.  

I enjoyed this dark twisty novel that kept me in the dark until the end.  I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.     

​The Personal Librarian is truly a magnificent piece of historical fiction!  It brings to light the story of Belle de Costa Greene, personal librarian to J.P. Morgan.  Belle was born Marion Greener, but her mother made a decision for their family to live as white and take on new identities, attributing their heritage to a Portuguese grandmother.  Belle's father was the first black graduate of Harvard and could not concede to this plan so he left.  Belle secured the position as personal librarian to J.P. Morgan and learned to navigate that male dominated world, not only as a woman, but as a woman of color all the while passing as a white person due to the racism prevalent at the time.  Belle amassed an amazing collection of books and art, traveling all over the world and reinventing the book/art buying process, but she had the added pressure of keeping her secret safe.  

This novel impressed me on so many levels.  I think having the book co-authored by both a white woman and a black woman helped to give an authentic voice to Belle de Costa Greene's situation and her emotions.  Reading about her career and all that she accomplished during her lifetime was inspiring and captivating at the same time.  I am so grateful that the authors took the time to unearth her story and give it a voice in today's world.   It was neat reading in the author notes about how the authors developed such a close bond writing this book together and that it opened up honest discussions about race between them both.  I believe that this book has the power to bring people together and is an important read for all of us.  

Good Morning America selected The Personal Librarian as their Book of the Month pick for July.  I really enjoyed the interview Deborah Roberts did with the authors.  The interview takes place at the Morgan Library and if my review hasn't peaked your interest yet, check it out:
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/video/authors-personal-librarian-talk-78835572?fbclid=IwAR1YBUm0d_ecLkzrY0yoFn-2wy6EhwzDyXecUdfFi-2_1ZMpVT16_B2cD4c

The Personal Librarian was most definitely a five star read for me and I highly recommend reading it  I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Home Made is an inspirational and timely read that shows how powerful human connections can be.  

One night while Liz Hauck and her father were cooking dinner, Liz made a suggestion that they start a weekly cooking program at the residential home for boys in state care  which was a part of the human services agency her father co-directed.  Unfortunately, Liz's father passed away before they had the chance to start the cooking program together, but Liz decided to honor her father by going forward on her own.  

I was so inspired by this book and how Liz was able to impact the lives of the boys in the home by showing up for what turned out to be over 100 dinners.  This book also speaks to the influence those same boys had on Liz's life.  When you set out to make a difference in the world, sometimes the biggest difference you make is in yourself.  I think her idea to cook together with the boys for an hour and then eat dinner together was brilliant.  Coming together in that way provided an opportunity to bond over a common goal, teach life skills and have conversation as a sort of family unit.    

I hope that this book inspires people in other communities to start up their own weekly cooking programs and see what grows from that experience.  I truly feel that if we spent more time looking for what we have in common instead of looking for what divides us, a lot of healing could take place on many levels.

This book clearly was a five star read for me and I hope that you will pick up a copy today for your own dose of inspiration.  I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.   

What's Done in Darkness is the perfect blend of dark and twisty that will keep you reading late into the night.  

17 year old Sarabeth has seen her world completely turned upside down.  Her father found religion and decided the family needed to leave everything behind to move to a farm outside of town so they could be closer to God.  Sarabeth finds the expectations and constraints of life in Wisteria, Arkansas to be overbearing as it is, but then she finds out her parents are planning her marriage.  Burdened with these thoughts, Sarabeth sets up their roadside produce stand for customers, but the customer that arrives has other plans.  Sarabeth is found a week later abandoned by the roadside, and the police and her community have more questions than Sarabeth has answers.  

Told in alternating chapters between the days before Sarabeth's abduction, and five years after the abduction, when she is now known as Sarah, this fast paced novel will have you turning pages at record speed.  Being a native of Southwest Missouri, I found that the novel was well researched and resonating with me as being an authentic representation of the area.  This was a five star read for me, but be prepared because you won't want to put it down.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I've found that you can always count on Wendy Wax to deliver an engaging novel with multiple unique female characters with diverse perspectives, that also draws on how those same very different people come together and find common ground that unites them.  The Break-Up Book Club is no different.  

Jazmine, Judith, Sara and Erin are the four main characters, but there are several minor characters (Dorothy, Meena and Annell) that also play a major part.  The book club held at Annell's bookstore Between the Covers is the connecting factor for all the women.  Each character is at a unique point in her life, both in age and relationship status, and the author handles all of those stories in a genuine and relatable manner.  The Break-Up Book Club is really a beautiful story of friendship, resilience and strength.  

It is sometimes challenging to keep all the characters straight, but I believe that might have been because I kept having to put the book down and pick it back up again (not by choice), and if I had been able to read it in fewer sittings, I think that might not have been an issue.  Either way, I enjoyed this novel and this unique cast of characters.  I'm hoping there might be a sequel in the future so we can see how these ladies continue to grow and change.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Eighteen year old Sadie Gault believes it can't get much worse than living in the cramped conditions of the Jewish ghetto of Krakow with her parents, until the day that her family must escape the Germans by rushing into the sewer system beneath the city.  The original plan to simply travel through the sewers to another location is no longer safe so they, along with another Jewish family, must remain in the sewers in order to stay alive.  

Ella is living a somewhat comfortable life in Krakow, though she doesn't agree with her stepmother consorting with the Germans.  Her stepmother has always been cruel to her and Ella hopes to soon receive travel papers for Paris so she can join her older brother there.  During an errand for her stepmother, Ella captures a glimpse through the sewer grate of a young woman in the sewers.  This chance encounter will change both Ella and Sadie's lives forever.

The atrocities suffered by the Jews in Krakow, Poland during World War II were heartbreaking, and Pam Jenoff's latest novel delves into that world with a completely different perspective.  The descriptions of life in the sewer are so detailed that they truly give you a feeling of what that experience would have been like for those families.  The author develops characters that you bond with over the course of the novel and it goes without saying that this is an emotional read.  

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

 

Off The Wild Coast of Brittany was an engaging novel with a present day story of two sisters that are working through some of their childhood issues as they grow closer to knowing each other through restoring guesthouse on the island of Brittany and a look into the resilience and determination shown by the residents of that same island during its occupation by German soldiers during WWII.  

Natalie finds herself at a crossroads in life.  She is supposed to be writing her next novel and restoring the guesthouse with her boyfriend Francois Xavier, but he has left her to return to France and she finds herself with nothing to write about.  Her sister Alex shows up seemingly out of the blue, and the two sisters begin to work on their strained relationship and guesthouse renovations.  

Newly married Violette is shocked when her husband leaves the island to support the French troops and then German soldiers take over their town.  She finds an unlikely friend and confidante in the German officer Rainier, who has his own secrets to keep.  

I really enjoyed this completely unique novel about WWII and felt transported to the charming island of Brittany.  Both the present day as well as the story set during the war were equally compelling.  I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, but perhaps that was because I wasn't quite ready to let go of the characters and have their stories come to an end.  

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.