…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In June I hope to read….

Publication Date: July 19, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Goodreads:

She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindgerten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka “bodyguard”), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

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

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

Author: Flora Harding
Publisher: One More Chapter
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: Buckingham Palace, 1981

Her engagement to Prince Charles is a dream come true for Lady Diana Spencer but marrying the heir to the throne is not all that it seems. Alone and bored in the palace, she resents the stuffy courtiers who are intent on instructing her about her new role as Princess of Wales…

But when she discovers a diary written in the 1800s by Princess Charlotte of Wales, a young woman born into a gilded cage so like herself, Diana is drawn into the story of Charlotte’s reckless love affairs and fraught relationship with her father, the Prince Regent.

As she reads the diary, Diana can see many parallels with her own life and future as Princess of Wales.

The story allows a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life in the palace, the tensions in Diana’s relationship with the royal family during the engagement, and the wedding itself. 

Ope’s Opinion: I do not usually read historical fiction, but I like reading about the Royals, so I picked this up. It is a fiction book, but it is based on a lot of facts.

It was really interesting to see how Charlotte’s life and Lady Diana’s life were so similar. Makes me wonder if all the Royals are similar. I had not heard of Princess Charlotte before, so that was interesting – except for the fact that she repeated several times how she felt about Frederick. I was a little disappointed that I did not learn anything new about Lady Diana.

Goodreads: Two women. Many aliases.

Meg Williams. Maggie Littleton. Melody Wilde. Different names for the same person, depending on the town, depending on the job. She’s a con artist who erases herself to become whoever you need her to be—a college student. A life coach. A real estate agent. Nothing about her is real. She slides alongside you and tells you exactly what you need to hear, and by the time she’s done, you’ve likely lost everything.

Kat Roberts has been waiting ten years for the woman who upended her life to return. And now that she has, Kat is determined to be the one to expose her. But as the two women grow closer, Kat’s long-held assumptions begin to crumble, leaving Kat to wonder who Meg’s true target is.

The Lies I Tell is a twisted domestic thriller that dives deep into the psyches and motivations of two women and their unwavering quest to seek justice for the past and rewrite the future. 

Ope’s Opinion: The Lies I Tell was a great read. I enjoyed the story line in The Last Flight better. Again this story had two woman at the center of it – both strong woman dealing with very different, difficult circumstances.

I admit that the first couple of chapters I wasn’t sure where the story line was going. But very quickly we were made aware of most of the secrets that drove Meg to do what she was doing. Seeing all it all from both Kat’s and Meg’s perspectives made the story intense and move very quickly.

The ending was not what I was expecting and is still leaving me think… is this how it should end in real life? I like that I am still pondering it.

Author: Emily Giffin
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Romance
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: The Kingsley family is practically American royalty, beloved for their military heroics, political service, and unmatched elegance. When Joseph S. Kingsley III is born in 1960, he inherits the weight of that legacy. Growing up with all the Kingsley looks and charisma, Joe should have no problem taking up the mantle after his father’s untimely death. But he is also a little bit reckless, and can’t seem to figure out how to channel the expectations of an entire country.

No one ever expected anything of Cate, on the other hand. She, too, grew up in a single-parent household—just her and her mom scraping by in their small apartment. As a teenager, though, Cate is discovered for her looks. Modeling may be her only ticket out of the cycle of disappointment that her mother has always inhabited. Before too long, her face is everywhere, though she is always aware that she’d be a pariah in her social circles if anyone knew her true story.

When Joe and Cate’s paths cross, their connection is instant. What remains to be seen is whether their relationship will survive the glare of the spotlight that follows Joe everywhere. And just as they find themselves in the make-or-break moment, the tragedy that seems to run in Joe’s family right alongside all that privilege will repeat itself.

In a beautifully written novel that recaptures a gilded moment in American history, Emily Giffin tells a story of a love that may or may not have the power to transcend circumstances that seem arrayed against it… and the difficulty of finding your way to the place you belong.

Ope’s Opinion: The first thing this book makes me want to do now is go look up Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s and see how close this story is to her real life. This would have been a really good story even if it was not based on their lives. My only complaint and what kept this from being a five chair book was the explicit sexual details. The details did not add anything to the story of their relationship.

The story written from both Cate’s and Joe’s perspectives moved it at a quick pace. Even though some things were repeated it was so you could you see them from each of their sides.

The epilogue was a perfect way to end the book. It wrapped things up the way you wish real life had happened.

Ten years ago today I started the journey of this blog!

It is hard to believe it has been this long. I have enjoyed the book community so much. I do miss BEA – it was fun to see everyone there. I added a Kindle to my reading this year, which has opened me up to many more books.

Thank you to all of you who follow me, who have encouraged me and who continue to be a part of my book community. Especially thank you to my daughter Kristin (www.krittersramblings. com), who started me on Goodreads and blogging. Thank you to my daughter Jenn, who is my IT for WordPress when I don’t understand what they changed.

Hopefully there will be many more years of books to come!

Author: Amelia Henley
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Romance
Source: Layne at Books Forward

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…

Ope’s Opinion: I’m not sure about this book. The beginning was really good. The love story was good, but in the middle somewhere was a whole story of some fantasy ( which I do not enjoy) and science I did not completely understand or enjoy.

I liked the characters in this story. Anna and Adam were ones you root for, Nell is a great best friend for Anna and Josh for Adam. There were a lot of heavy subjects.

The ending was not believable at all. Hard to say much else without giving it away, but it just didn’t feel real or possible at all.

These pieces fit together very well.
The mat finish is really nice.
My only wish is that there was a poster.
Now I am ready to pack up and go to the beach!

Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Publisher: Ballantine Books

Goodreads: The Kingsley family is practically American royalty, beloved for their military heroics, political service, and unmatched elegance. When Joseph S. Kingsley III is born in 1960, he inherits the weight of that legacy. Growing up with all the Kingsley looks and charisma, Joe should have no problem taking up the mantle after his father’s untimely death. But he is also a little bit reckless, and can’t seem to figure out how to channel the expectations of an entire country.

No one ever expected anything of Cate, on the other hand. She, too, grew up in a single-parent household—just her and her mom scraping by in their small apartment. As a teenager, though, Cate is discovered for her looks. Modeling may be her only ticket out of the cycle of disappointment that her mother has always inhabited. Before too long, her face is everywhere, though she is always aware that she’d be a pariah in her social circles if anyone knew her true story.

When Joe and Cate’s paths cross, their connection is instant. What remains to be seen is whether their relationship will survive the glare of the spotlight that follows Joe everywhere. And just as they find themselves in the make-or-break moment, the tragedy that seems to run in Joe’s family right alongside all that privilege will repeat itself.

In a beautifully written novel that recaptures a gilded moment in American history, Emily Giffin tells a story of a love that may or may not have the power to transcend circumstances that seem arrayed against it… and the difficulty of finding your way to the place you belong.

Emily Giffin is one of my go-to authors.
She writes such good stories with relatable characters.
I am sure this will be another amazing book.

Author: Barb Curtis
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Forever ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: From the series that “fans of Susan Wiggs will find…to their liking” comes this irresistible story of a free spirit who falls for the last man she’d ever expect.

Just when recently evicted yoga instructor Faith Rotolo thinks her luck has run out, she inherits a historic mansion in quaint Sapphire Springs. Though Faith never imagined putting roots down anywhere, small-town life is growing on her, as is her fixer-upper house. If only her handsome new contractor, Rob Milan, would stop spoiling her daydreams with the realities of a major rehab…and his generally grouchy vibes.

A single dad of two, Rob doesn’t have much time for fantasy wish-list ideas his clients can’t afford. Then again, Faith’s creative energy might be exactly what he needs right now. But while Rob and Faith work to give her home the second chance it deserves, their spirited clashes wind up sparking a powerful attraction. As work nears completion, and Faith’s house becomes the shining jewel of the neighborhood, will she and Rob realize that they deserve a fresh start too? 

Ope’s Opinion: It took me a bit to get into this story. Once I got into it, the story just kept getting better. This is the third in the series. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but you do revisit the past characters from the previous books.

It was really interesting to see the family history and the mystery that went along with it. The romance is a closed door romance – my favorite! You can feel the attraction without all the details.

The overuse of foul language didn’t add to the story and lost some of it’s impact when used too often. Having said that, it doesn’t keep me from wanting to reading Barb Curtis again.