Publisher: Forever
Genre: Romance
Source: Forever ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: After years of putting her family first, Genevieve Prentice is making a fresh start—but it’s never easy to leave the past behind.

Widowed young, Genevieve Prentice dedicated her life to raising her four children. Now, though, they’re all grown and scattered to the wind, and Genevieve is ready for a change. In a flash of inspiration, she puts her home on the market and heads to Lake in the Clouds, Colorado, to renovate a rustic waterfront lodge with her sister. But just as they begin, Genevieve gets the shock of a lifetime: the arrival of her son.

Jake Prentice built a career out of being dependable, one that left him perennially stressed and overworked. Finally heeding his mother’s words of wisdom, he’s quit his job and is ready to find out what truly makes him happy. And now, as he stands surrounded by open sky and fresh, pine-scented air, he’s got no regrets . . . until former colleague Tess Crenshaw appears at the lake, forcing him to reassess what—and who—he really wants.

As they work together to renovate the lodge, Genevieve and Jake embark on a heartfelt and inspiring journey to learn about themselves, each other, and the true meaning of family.

Ope’s Opinion: Emily March writes a very good story, with well developed, likable characters. I just lost track of the story once in a while in all the details. I found my mind wandering, then a part of the story got very interesting and I kept reading.

This is the beginning of a series. I am assuming each book will concentrate on a different sibling. I may look into the second book, just to see where it goes.

Publisher: Headline
Genre: Memoir
Source: Headline ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: The long-awaited memoir by Priscilla Presley chronicling her difficult, inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland and behind the elegant image the world sees.

Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.

Softly, As I Leave You, is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered – and survived – seemingly unbearable loss.

A passionate, compassionate, and inspiring story of finding your place in the world, Softly, As I Leave You, is a sweet Southern melody that will take the reader with Priscilla on her long road home.

Ope’s Opinion: Priscilla Presley read her book. Her voice is soft, but expressive. She is very easy to listen to. I could listen to her read just about anything.

Her story felt very honest and open. She did say it was hard to know what to include and what to leave out. There were a lot of eye opening revelations for me. I am sure people who really followed Priscilla and Elvis were not surprised by much. I had no idea of the people who were in her life after she left Elvis.

There is a lot of sad moments in the book and I felt like Priscilla was honest about how she felt during those times.

Publisher: Harpeth Road Press
Genre: Romance
Source: Harpeth Road Press ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: Lose yourself in the stunning coastal town of Big Dune Island with this incredibly heartwarming read, perfect for fans of Denise Hunter, Debbie Macomber, and RaeAnne Thayne. This book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.

Gigi Franklin is planning her best friend’s wedding, and long-time friend Austin Beckett is trying to help her keep the private event top secret. As Gigi and Austin work together, sparks begin to fly, but Gigi’s too busy building her law practice to make time for dating.

If the wedding wasn’t enough to manage, she’s also tasked with finding the rightful heir to the local Salty Breeze B&B. Then, newcomer Simon Ridley arrives in town, throwing a wrench in the process.

As Gigi races against time to uncover the truth about the B&B’s ownership and pull off the perfect wedding, an old journal surfaces that might change everything she thought she knew about love.

A moving beach read that will have you yearning to take walks along the coast and craving the beachy splendor of island living. Look no further if you’re searching for a feel-good, small-town coastal romance!

Ope’s Opinion: This was the second book in the series. It could be read alone, but having the background from the first book made the story more enjoyable. The setting was amazing. The characters were fun. The story was great.

There is a little mystery of who will inherit the inn. It was a nice side story to go along with the romance and the family relationships that grew through this book.

Savannah Carlise is fast becoming a go-to author for me. She has a great writing style that makes her stories enjoyable.

Publisher: Clarion Books
Genre: YA Romance
Source: Clarion Books ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: A deeply emotional and highly romantic tale of two teens who fall in love while grieving the one person who makes their love impossible; in the vein of You’ve Reached Sam and The Sky Is Everywhere. 

Sarah feels unmoored following her boyfriend’s sudden and tragic death. Their love story was cut short after just two sweet months together, and now all Sarah can think about are the moments she and Alex should be sharing. Sarah distracts herself by consoling Ash—her best friend and Alex’s sister—and by rehearsing for the school play and working at her aunt’s cafe. But none of that is as comforting as her nightly talks with Jake.

Jake is not ready to move on. Unable to sleep at night and “mopey”—according to his girlfriend, who doesn’t understand why he isn’t ready to jump back into partying—Jake is wracked with guilt as a witness to Alex’s death. His one source of joy is talking to Sarah. But between their growing closeness and his taking over as captain of the basketball team, Jake worries he is co-opting Alex’s life.

Both can’t help but wonder if they’re betraying Alex—and Ash—by acting on the feelings they can no longer deny. Given all that stands in the way, is their relationship worth fighting for?

Ope’s Opinion: Oh, this was such a good story. I enjoyed all the characters ( even the ones you weren’t suppose to like). They were realistic, not over the top, and reacted the way you would expect.

I felt like the topic of grief for teens was handled so well. It is so well written, you may read this one fast, but it will stay with you after it is done.

I definitely want to see what else Robin Constatine wrote. I will be looking for what she writes next.

Publisher: Avon
Genre: Romance
Source: Avon ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: A sweet and sizzling summer romance about a woman who takes a job at a bookstore in Nantucket and gets involved with the man who turns out to be her a billionaire bent on knocking the store down.

When book lover Jade Taylor applies to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island over the summer, the last thing she needs is the distraction of billionaire resort owner, Liam Haven.

But things take an unexpected turn when Liam becomes Jade’s boss—a man who only reads contracts for pleasure…

In a bid to save the bookshop from being absorbed into the Haven resort, Jade is determined to teach Liam that there’s more to life than acquiring real estate. And if she can make him realize happily ever afters do exist, might she be able to save the island’s bookshop in the process?

Ope’s Opinion: Oh, this book had all the potential to be one of the best summers, but fell completely flat. The cover was great and the synopsis read like a perfect summer story. Unfortunately, from the first look the two main characters wanted each other physically and did not care about each other in any other way.

I wanted the MC’s to care about each other, have something in common, spend time together doing something other lusting for each other. The language and lack of story made me want to quit reading.

I have not read anything else by Kathryn Freeman. I wonder if all her books this way?