The concept of this book intrigued me as I love historical fiction mixed with a present day tie-in.  The Berachah Home for the Redemption and Protection of Erring Girls built in 1903 in Arlington, Texas provides the backdrop for the meeting of Lizzie Bates and Mattie McBride.  Their shared situation brings the two women to forge a sisterly friendship that will stand the test of time and many other tribulations.  In present day, university librarian Cate Sutton uncovers information in the archives about the Berachah Home and its residents.  She feels drawn to these women and their stories, inspiring her to deal with issues from her past as well.  

I thought the stories of Lizzie and Mattie were so interesting and compelling.  The fact that this home actually existed that long ago and touched so many lives was inspiring.  I failed to connect as much with Cate and found her portion of the story somewhat of a distraction for me.  I couldn't connect the importance of her assistant Laurel's character with the narrative.  That said, I did enjoy the book but just felt more drawn to the historical component.  

I received this book courtesy of Crown Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I loved the concept of The Second Chance Boutique.  Francesca Delaney has built her wedding dress business around some simple concepts:  1) Never covet a dress and 2) Never sell a dress that led to a doomed marriage.  Fran researches all of her shop's vintage wedding dresses to find the stories behind each one, the brides that wore them and the marriages that were created.  Fran has recently discovered a very unusual and beautiful vintage gown, but as she is tracking down the story of its bride, she crosses paths with Rafael Colt, whose mother and grandmother wore the gown.  Rafael is the ultimate playboy, but he is also a philanthropist heading up his family's foundation.  He and Fran consistently butt heads over almost everything, but sometimes love and hate are more closely related than we realize.

I did love the parts of the stories about connecting the brides with the unique dresses described and simply the concept of the wedding dress shop itself.  I felt that the exchanges between Fran and Rafael were a bit contrived and somewhat predictable.  I would have preferred their relationship to have developed a little differently in order to be more believable for me.

I received this book courtesy of Sourcebooks Landmark through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  
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This love story really took me through a range of emotions as I read it from cover to cover.  Missy Carmichael is 79 years old and finds herself in a new world that she isn't sure she is ready to be in.  Her son and grandson live in far away Australia; her relationship with her daughter is tenuous, at best; and the love of her life is gone.  Missy doesn't expect a spur of the moment trip to a local park to have such a tremendous impact.  Suddenly two complete strangers are making their way through all of Missy's barriers and finding a place in her life.      

The characters in this novel are so well written and real.  I would go from being a cheerleader for Missy to feeling she had let me down and then back to empathizing with her.  All of the relationships were unique and compelling.  It was a wonderful transformative journey to go through with Missy and I am grateful for reading this book.  What seems like a simple story in some ways is so multi-layered and touching that I will remember it for some time.  

I received this novel courtesy of Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putman Sons in exchange for an honest review.  

I fell in love with the cozy small-town of Winsome after reading The Printed Letter Bookshop so I was so thrilled to pickup Of Literature and Lattes and fall right back into that wonderful setting.  

While also being set in the same town, Of Literature and Lattes could truly be read as a standalone novel.  There are some familiar characters that appear but this novel introduces new individuals to the town.  The book primarily focuses on Jeremy Mitchell who has just moved to Winsome and taken over ownership of the local coffee shop and Alyssa Harrison, a Winsome local that is returning from Silicon Valley after a workplace scandal.  Both of these characters seem to be running from their past, and perhaps into each other's future.  

The author does an amazing job creating the town of Winsome and the cast of beloved characters.  Each character seems so realistic that that truly come to life off the page.  I think most readers would find many, if not all, of the characters relatable.  I very much hope that she will continue to explore the lives of the residents of Winsome, because I'm just not ready to let any of them go.  I just want to stroll the streets and visit The Printed Letter Bookshop, the coffee shop Andante, and the other quaint shops I envision there.  

I received this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson Fiction through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Little does she know but 17 year old Maddie Bright is embarking on a life changing journey.  Maddie has just taken a job serving the handsome Edward, Prince of Wales on his tour across Australia.  She's quickly drawn into the glamour and luxury of it all.  She makes fast friends with Helen Burns and develops a deep respect for her boss Mr. Waters.  Of course, she finds the Prince charming and identifies with his kind spirit.  However, Maddie soon learns that she can't rely on first impressions and love isn't always quite so simple.

In 1997, the world changed when we learned of Princess Diana's death.  Journalist Victoria Byrd has been asked to cover her death while she's also been given an exclusive opportunity to interview the elusive author M.A. Bright, who apparently has written a sequel to her bestselling novel Autumn Leaves.  On top of that, Victoria is trying to balance her own life as the girlfriend of an international superstar actor.  Like Diana, Victoria finds herself the prey of paparazzi looking for that money shot.  

I truly enjoyed Lost Autumn, reading the majority of the book in one setting.  I did have some trouble following the three different timelines in the beginning, but once I got that sorted, I couldn't put the book down.  Lost Autumn felt original and unique.  It made me interested in the real story of Prince Edward and later his marriage to Wallis Simpson.  Of course, the section dealing with Princess Diana's death connected me with the novel, as I still vividly remember where I was when I heard the news and also watching her funeral.  I thought the author did an excellent job creating strong female characters that were relatable.  I look forward to going back and reading the author's earlier works In Falling Snow and Swimming Home.

I received this book courtesy of G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Publishing Group through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

I have so enjoyed reading the Lost Castle trilogy and The Painted Castle was a wonderful way to conclude the series.  

The Painted Castle tells the story of Keira Foley.  She has been working at her family's pub after returning from the States.  A mysterious stranger offers her a lucrative week-long job to survey a piece of art, and, Keira hopes, to put her life back in order.  What Keira finds when she arrives at the castle catches her off guard and she is immediately drawn into the mystery behind the painting.  

Equally compelling are the stories of Amelia and Elizabeth.  Amelia is trying to manage the castle during World War II, following the death of her husband.  The Allied Forces must lodge in the castle and that combined with the hundreds of children she is caring for at the castle turns things on end.  Amelia is dealing with the grief of losing her husband and trying to live through these grim times, but should she open her heart to love again.

Elizabeth is a talented artist living in Victorian England.  As a child, her father was murdered before her eyes and she has forever since been searching for his killer.  Elizabeth finds herself betrothed to a viscount, not entirely of her own choosing, and the more she finds out about him, the more concerned she becomes.  

It is very interesting to see how the separate plot lines come together, as well as concluding the stories of the Foley family.  I love how the books in this trilogy can be read independently or as part of a series.  I am glad to have discovered Kristy Cambron and look forward to reading more books written by her.  

I received this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Such a Fun Age takes an in-depth look at the ways privilege, race, and the meaning of family.  The story begins with 25 year old Emira being called on her evening off to rush to the rescue of her young charge Briar.  Emira, who had been celebrating a friend's birthday, receives a telephone call from Mrs. Chamberlain that asks her to come to the house, no matter her dress or situation, because she needs Emira to take Briar somewhere for awhile so the police can take a vandalism report about their house.  Emira would do anything for Briar, so of course, she swoops Briar up and takes her Market Depot to do one of Briar's favorite things, look at all the different kinds of nuts.  While they are there, another customer becomes suspicious of Emira's attire and her intentions with Briar.  Enter the security guard who begins to question what an black woman is doing with a white child at this hour of the night. 

What I liked about Such a Fun Age was the relationship between Emira and Briar.  That narrative felt very genuine and was well developed.  I also appreciated how the author was able to tie up the story in the end.  For myself, it was somewhat difficult to relate to the various characters in the book, but I did appreciate the topics being considered and thought the author did so in a thought provoking way.  

I received this book courtesy of G.P. Putnam & Sons Penguin Publishing Group through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

It seems like lately I really need to be transported away when I pickup a book.  All the Ways We Said Goodbye truly let me dive into the pages and be delivered to another time and place.  

We get a close look at France in 1914 during the first World War as Aurelie finds her life turned on end when her family's castle is overtaken by the German forces.  Her loyalties are tested and she endures more than she thought she was capable of withstanding.

We also get an insiders view of France during 1942 and the second World War.  Marguerite "Daisy" Villon never knew her parents and was raised by her grandmother.  Daisy's husband becomes more involved with the Germans, while Daisy finds herself becoming a part of the Resistance.  

Fast forward to France in 1964.  Barbara "Babs" Langford has not recovered from the death of her husband Kit and cannot imagine a way forward in her life.  Then she receives an unexpected letter with questions regarding her husband and his relationship with the French spy "Le Fleur".  Having felt the shadow of Le Fleur over her entire marriage, Babs travels to France to gain some closure to this painful part of her life and perhaps help solve the mystery of Le Fleur's whereabouts.

I loved immersing myself in all three stories and watching them come together throughout the novel.  I think for me the theme that all these women were stronger than they initially thought they were, resonated deeply.  To watch the transformation each character goes through was inspiring.  I hope Williams, Willig and White continue writing together for quite some time.  

I received this book courtesy of William Morrow Harper Collins through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

This dark twisty suspenseful thriller grabbed me immediately .  I couldn't put it down!  This book is perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn, Mary Kubica or Paula Hawkins.  

In order to claim her inheritance, Leslie must track down her runaway sister Robin who she hasn't seen since they were teens and they must both appear before the attorney administering the will. Leslie is stunned when she finally tracks her down only to discover Robin dead in her apartment.  Reeling from the experience, Leslie escapes as quickly as she can and drives a short distance to a restaurant. As she leaves the restaurant, she runs into a woman named Mary. The two women strike up a conversation and the story takes off from there.  Leslie realizes that Mary resembles Robin, possibly enough to convince the attorney she is Robin, and suddenly Leslie hatches a plan to claim her own inheritance and help Mary realize her dream of going to California to be an actress as well.  

The author does a stellar job in keeping the reader off balance as to who is being truthful, who has secrets and who to trust.  You really do wonder who is the better liar in the book.  The story takes many twists and turns throughout the pages.  The Better Liar will draw you in and keep you guessing.  

I received this book courtesy of Ballantine Books Random House Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

This book was absolutely the perfect read for me.  It was just the right blend of historical fiction, present-day drama and a suspenseful plot line.  

Set in small town Edenton, North Carolina, and transitioning between the 1940s and 2018, we meet two strong female characters: Anna Dale who has just been awarded the job of creating a post office mural depicting the town of Edenton and then Morgan Christopher who has been granted her early freedom from prison in exchange for her work restoring that same mural in 2018. The story unfolds for both women and I could not have been more drawn into their journeys and wondering when or how their storylines would cross. The town of Edenton and the mural itself are almost their own characters in the story.  The writing is so descriptive that not only do the characters spring from the pages, but I could also envision the mural and the town.   

Big Lies in a Small Town is most definitely a page turner with numerous surprises in store.  I loved every minute and would rate this a 5 star read for me.  

I received this book courtesy of St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.