…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In May I hope to read….

Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Publisher: Kensington

Goodreads: Summer fiction at its page-turning best for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Holly Chamberlin, and Nancy Thayer! Colleen French, acclaimed author of The Summer I Found Myself, brings readers to Albany Beach, Delaware, where one woman must decide whether to seek out the daughter she gave up for adoption.

Each year, the start of summer brings bustle and much-needed tourist dollars to the little town of Albany Beach, Delaware. For Natalie Sullivan, this season is proving more stressful than others. It’s make-or-break time for the Irish pub her husband, Conor, recently bought with his brothers. Their two children are thriving, but she’s experiencing pangs of loss at the end of her childbearing years.

When sixteen-year-old McKenzie starts gushing about Bella, the new coworker at her summer job, Natalie suddenly finds her past and present in conflict. Bella, two years older than McKenzie, looks so similar that a customer remarks that they could be sisters. And when Natalie learns that Bella was adopted, she is propelled back into a heartbreaking decision. As a college student, Natalie became pregnant and put her baby up for adoption. Now, the more McKenzie talks about Bella, the more Natalie wonders: could Bella be her daughter?

Conor insists it’s a mistake to pursue the matter. Natalie’s child belongs to another family now; that was the agreement in the closed adoption. Still, Natalie can’t resist spending time with Bella. As their bond deepens, McKenzie accuses her mother of caring more for a stranger than for her, and Natalie begins imagining what it would be like to have Bella as a second daughter. What will the impact be if Bella really is her biological child? And if she isn’t, can Natalie embrace the joy and potential in her own family, without always wondering about what could have been? 

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Author: Robyn Carr
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Fiction
Source: MIRA ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: Life’s biggest dilemmas can provide its sweetest rewards

Anna McNichol knows how to take charge. Raised by a single mother, she’s worked to ensure her three children have every advantage she didn’t. And while her marriage has its problems, she values commitment and believes in “till death do us part.” Now an empty nester, she’s at the peak of her career and ready to seize the opportunity to focus on her future.

But life can change in an instant, and when her husband dies suddenly, Anna’s carefully constructed world falls apart. The mysterious young woman at the memorial service confirms her husband had been keeping secrets, and Anna is determined to get to the truth.

For once, she doesn’t have the answers. Her kids are struggling with their grief, her mother’s health is in decline and Anna needs closure. Faced with one challenge after another, she finds support from an unexpected source. And as she puts her life back together, Anna realizes the McNichols may not be perfect but they’ll always be family, and family is forever.

Ope’s Opinion: If you like a story with family drama from the beginning right up until the end, you should read this book. The whole McNichol family has issues to deal with and relationships that need to be worked on. The death of the husband / father at the start of the book opens a pandora’s box for each of them.

There were a few surprises along the way, but in the end, everyone was in a better place than where they started.

This puzzle comes with a poster.

The finished puzzle.
It was fun, but some times it was hard to tell if the pieces fit together.
I did like that the it was a mat finish.

Author: Denise Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Fiction
Source: Taylor at HCCP

Goodreads: Contractor Wes Mathews is nearly finished hiking the Appalachian Trail in honor of his recently deceased best friend when he falls terribly ill. He stumbles into the nearest town and soon finds himself indebted to the beautiful young doctor who owns the clinic. In lieu of payment, he proposes a trade that will keep him in town—and away from obligations to his best friend’s sister—for several weeks.

But as Avery and Wes spend time together, their friendship begins moving into unexpected territory. Soon they both begin to question their plans for the future. But will Wes be able to let go of the debt he owes his best friend? And will Avery find the courage to risk everything for love? 

Ope’s Opinion: This is the second in the Riverbend series. You certainly do not need to read the first one to enjoy this one, but it is such a good series, I recommend starting at the beginning. Denise Hunter is a wonderful writer and this one is among her best ones.

The characters were ones you want to spend time with. The whole Robinson family are realistic, have flaws and make you want the best for them. The romance in this moved along at a perfect pace.

Although you know where the story will end, the ride along the way was amazing. I can’t wait for the next one in the series. Harvest Moon will be out in September.

Author: RaeAnne Thayne
Publisher: HQN
Genre: Romance
Source: HQN ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: From the beloved bestselling author of Season of Wonder and The Cliff House  comes a poignant and uplifting novel about forgiveness, family and all the complications—and joy — that come with it

As the older sibling to identical twins Violet and Lily, Cami Porter was always the odd sister out. The divide grew even wider when their parents split up—while the twins stayed in Cape Sanctuary with their free-spirited mother, Rosemary, fourteen-year-old Cami moved to LA with her attorney father. Nearly twenty years later, when Cami gets the terrible news that Lily has drowned saving a child’s life, her mother begs her to return home to help untangle the complicated estate issues her sister left behind.

Navigating their own strained relationship, Cami readjusts to the family and community she hasn’t known for decades, including the neighbor who stands in the way of her late sister’s dream, while Violet grieves the loss of her twin and struggles to figure out who she is now, without her other half, as the little girl Lily saved pulls her back into the orbit of the man she once loved.

With poignancy and heart, RaeAnne Thayne once again delivers her charming signature blend of warmth, wit and wisdom.

Ope’s Opinion: This is my favorite kind of romance – it had wonderful characters that you root for, the people all really cared about each other ( not just physical attraction ) and the attraction happened slowly and naturally.

Along with the romance, the story was about the family healing from the death of one of the sisters. Each one grieved in their own way, in their own timing – it was not overly sad, but the emotions were shown. The ending was exactly what I expected and wanted.

It is such a heartwarming story. RaeAnn Thayne just writes the kind of story I want to read.

This looks like a good beach read!

Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: June 14, 2022

Goodreads: This is not a typical love story, but it’s our love story.

Anna wasn’t looking for love when Adam swept her off her feet, but there was no denying their connection, and she believed they would be together forever.

Years later, cracks have appeared in their relationship. Anna is questioning whether their love can really be eternal when a cruel twist of fate delivers a crushing blow, and Anna and Adam are completely lost to one another. Now, Anna needs Adam more than ever, but the way back to him has life-changing consequences.

Is a second chance at first love really worth the sacrifice? Anna needs to decide, and time is running out…

Thank you, Layne at Books Forward! Can’t wait to start reading this one!

Author: Brenda Novak
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Fiction
Source: MIRA ( Netalley )

Goodreads: A summer of healing, friendship, love…and a secret that could change everything.

After the death of her US senator father, Marlow Madsen travels to the small island off the coast of Florida where she spent summers growing up to help her mother settle the family estate. For Marlow, the trip is a chance to reconnect after too long apart. It’s also the perfect escape to help her feel grounded again — one she’s happy to share with friends Aida and Claire, who are hoping to hit reset on their lives, too.

A leisurely beachfront summer promises the trio of women the opportunity to take deep healing breaths and explore new paths. But when her father’s will reveals an earth-shattering secret that tarnishes his impeccable reputation and everything she thought she knew about her family, Marlow finds herself questioning her entire childhood — and aspects of her future. Fortunately, her friends, and the most unlikely love interest she could imagine, prove that happiness can be found no matter what — as long as the right people are by your side.

Ope’s Opinion: As I started reading, I was invested in the characters and I liked where I could see the story going. Three strong women, getting a restart at a beach house – that is my kind of a story. I was disappointed when the focus changed to sex. I skimmed the steamy parts and the story improved. The ending seemed a little rushed, but I like where it ended.

A Sally Hepworth book is always an intense read!

Goodreads:

THE HUSBAND
A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.

THE DAUGHTERS
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.

THE FORMER WIFE
With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.

THE YOUNGER WIFE
Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses in all of them?

Pick this one up today!

Author: Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Romance
Source: Montlake ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself.

The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them.

The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.

Ope’s Opinion: After you read my review, please read other reviews. I have loved a few of Colleen Hoover’s other books, this one just wasn’t one I really cared for. I had a hard time connecting with Kenna until really late in the book. The steamy parts weren’t for me, they didn’t seem to add much to the story.

Colleen Hoover really did pull at my heartstrings towards the end. The ending did seem rushed and was tied up into a perfect little bow. I would try another Colleen Hoover, as I think she knows how to write a good story.