Author: Hannah McKinnon
Publisher: Atria / Emily Bestler Books
Genre: Fiction
Source: Atria / Emily Bestler Books ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: On a secluded stretch of Cape Cod, a wedding is being planned at a beloved beach house—only for a long kept secret to emerge that hurtles both the wedding and the family off course, in this fresh, lyrical new novel from the acclaimed author of the “charming and warmhearted” ( PopSugar ) The Summer House.

At age ninety-two, Tish Darling is the matriarch and protector of what’s left of the Darling family fortune, including the decades-old beach house, Riptide. Located on the crook of Cape Cod, it’s a place she once loved but has not returned to in decades, since a tragic family accident one perfect summer day. Still, she is determined to keep Riptide in the family. Even if that means going back there on the cusp of her granddaughter’s wedding. Even if it means revealing someone else’s truth.

Her daughter-in-law Cora has her own complicated feelings surrounding Tish’s return as well as doubts about her place within the Darling family. After all, Cora came into the family carrying a secret that her husband promised to keep for her forever. Tish’s sudden return to Riptide may force everything they’ve worked so hard to protect out into the light.

Meanwhile, Cora’s eldest daughter, Andi isn’t exactly looking forward to her little sister’s wedding so soon after her own divorce. To make matters worse, her ex has arrived on the Cape with his insufferable new girlfriend. Andi has no idea how she’ll be able to survive this family reunion…until she bumps into an old friend from the past. A friend who may just offer her a second chance.

As the three distinct generations of Darling women arrive at Riptide, they have no idea that this summer will forever change them. One old secret, kept with the best of intentions, threatens to not only divide the family, but shatter each member’s sense of who they really are. Can the ties that bind survive, when the history you’ve always been told turns out to be untrue?

Ope’s Opinion: What a wonderful family drama Hannah McKinnon has written. All the characters are well rounded – real with flaws and a lot of heart. It was a pleasure to watch each of them develop.

I didn’t care for Tish, but I don’t think I was suppose to. It was understandable why she was the way she was, but I wanted her to be different. I was wishing her past would have made her kinder and more sympathetic, but it didn’t. But that was part of the story – it didn’t make me like the story less, just didn’t like Tish!

The setting is at the beach – which is always one of my favorite places to be, so I enjoy reading about stories set there. The family cabin was described so I felt like I was there with the family.

I would like to know where all the Darling family is now.

…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In June I hope to read….

Publication Date: June 27, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Goodreads: During the coziness of sweater weather in the mountains of Virginia two people find love against all odds in USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle’s And Then There Was You .

Reeling after falling prey to a Romeo con-artist who just waltzed away with the better part of her belongings, Natalie Maynard works closely with the detective assigned to her case, only the few leads have led nowhere.

Detective Randy Fellowes can’t promise Natalie restitution, but he’s determined to find the culprit and serve up justice. Married to his work, he’s caught off guard when Natalie has his thoughts wandering to more than the case.

Natalie soon seeks refuge in the one thing she still owns ― an old fishing cabin in the mountains of Chestnut Ridge. She quickly falls in love with the town and the eccentric people who are teaching her so much about the area and its heritage.

Through these people, and the determination of Detective Fellowes, she rediscovers her courage, self, and a reason to risk love again.

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

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

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

Goodreads: When she traded her tiara for a few days of freedom, she didn’t expect to find herself – or to lose her heart to the one man guaranteed to break it . . . When Lady Sophia de Lyons, former fiancé to a king and protected daughter of the aristocracy, masqueraded as an American commoner, she didn’t expect to fall in love. She gets more than she bargained for when the man of her dreams turns out to be the tabloid reporter of her nightmares. Can she ever learn to trust him after he betrays her? Or will they both lose everything in a desperate gamble for love? Scroll up and grab a copy today.

Thank you Hannah at booksfluent.com.
I am looking forward to reading this.

Goodreads: From the bestselling author of  Vacationland,  a spirited summer page-turner following a family of actors grappling with fame, scandal, and ambition–perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand. Summer Stage is a five-star novel that deserves a standing ovation! And Meg Mitchell Moore has a permanent place on my list of favorite authors.”—Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times Bestselling Author of  The Wedding Veil Amy Trevino, a former aspiring playwright, has stayed close to her Rhode Island hometown while her famous brother, Timothy Fleming, pursued and achieved his Hollywood dreams. Now a high school English teacher and occasional drama director, Amy takes on the production manager role for her brother’s play in an effort to mend rifting family relationships.  Sam, Amy’s daughter, was a Disney child star who continued her pursuit for fame in a Manhattan TikTok house. Now she’s returned home unexpectedly. Her sudden arrival is shrouded in secrets, and Sam refuses to open up to her mother, deciding instead to join her uncle on Block Island for the summer.   Timothy, a successful and well-loved actor, is directing a summer production at a storied Block Island theater—and his famous ex-wife has the lead role. As they work together to ensure the production is a success, Amy, Sam, and Timothy are forced to grapple with their desires for recognition and fortune, stand up for what they believe art and fame actually mean, and discover what they really want out of life. A bighearted and delicious novel about family, ambition, and opportunity,  Summer Stage  is the must-read book of the summer. 

Just the cover alone makes me want to read this one.
But I also enjoy Meg Mitchell Moore books,
so this will go in my beach bag.

Author: Mary Ellen Taylor
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Fiction
Source: Amazon

Goodreads: From The Brighter the Light author Mary Ellen Taylor comes the emotional story of a mother and daughter learning to endure life’s twists and turns as they grieve a loss and face an uncertain future.

When artist Dani Peterson learns she’s slowly losing her vision, she becomes unmoored. Her ex-husband died only months before, leaving Dani and her preteen daughter grief stricken. Suddenly, the life Dani built for her family on the Outer Banks feels like a painful reminder of all they’ve lost.

On a whim, Dani sells her waterfront home and buys an old farm inland near the Virginia state line. But Dani’s daughter recoils at the sudden, drastic change. The Outer Banks’ sun-swept beaches, pink dawns, and savage storms are all she’s ever known.

But Dani is resolute, and the pair move to Virginia to embark on a challenging renovation. That summer, their efforts to turn a run-down silo into an art studio bring forth new friends, new loves, and new challenges.

As mother and daughter navigate the fiercest storm of their lives, they learn that instead of waiting for the skies to clear, they can withstand the wind and rain, so long as they do it together.

Ope’s Opinion: I have read several books by Mary Ellen Taylor and enjoyed them, so when Amazon gave me the opportunity to read this, I did not read the synopsis closely – I wish I had. Everyone in this book was in the midst of grief – that I could handle, but it dragged me down. The part that I did not enjoy at all, was the ghost – I am not a fan of ghosts in any story.

I had no idea that there was a book ” The Brighter the Light ” that came before this one, so it read like a stand alone, but it would have been nice to have read that one first.

I did enjoy the setting, I am a huge fan of the beach and the Outer Banks is one of my favorite places – why you would leave there is beyond me. The ending is what you would expect.

Author: Ginny Baird
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Romance
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: Busy flower shop manager Evita Machado can’t wait to get to Nantucket. With a bad breakup behind her, relaxing at the shore with her folks and her brothers and their families sounds like the sure cure for heartache, and their vacation destination looks like an amazing place! But when they arrive at the quaint rose-covered cottage, another group has already put down stakes: the Hatfields.

Ope’s Opinion: I have read Ginny Baird before and really enjoyed her stories. This one was just not for me. I felt like the parents were immature, holding a ridiculous grudge against each other and did not set a good example for their children.

I know this is fiction, but you had to really stretch your imagination to believe people would really treat each other the way they did.

I hope the next Ginny Baird book is one I will enjoy more than this one.

Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Publisher: Sparks Press

Goodreads: Her past is restless. Her future is vulnerable. The longest summer of her life has begun.

Miranda Blair is a self-proclaimed hypocrite. Employed by her town’s historical society, she preserves brick-and-mortar landmarks from yesterday but has spent two decades running from her past. Having never been able to afford life’s indulgent toppings, she’s settled for vanilla.

Miranda is coaxed from her childhood home when she’s named the sole heir to her estranged grandmother’s estate. Gertrude Blair has outlined a hundred-day stay at her New England cottage as a prerequisite for the inheritance. Begrudgingly, Miranda accepts this unorthodox final request from the woman who never deserved the title “grandma.”

In idyllic Cobblers Hill, shingled homes boast charming front porches and roses entwine white picket fences. But Gertrude’s abandoned property needs a makeover as desperately as Miranda does. And while remnants from Miranda’s history dwell within the dark paneled cottage walls, no strings attached prevails as her motto—until, that is, she meets the emerald-eyed guy next door.

Thank you Corrine from Books Forward.
It looks like a great read!

Author: Debbie Burns
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Sourcebooks Casablanca ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: Coming home will always give you a second chance… When Riley Leighton and Levi Duncan finally meet again, the chemistry between them is as hot as ever. But as much as Levi has missed Riley all these years, he still remembers the heartbreak when she left him the first time… Riley has spent a lifetime running from love. Now that she’s home again, starting her dream job at the local pet rescue, she also has another chance to get it right with Levi. Everything Riley’s wanted but thought she couldn’t have is almost within reach. “Uplifting…brims with kindness, hope, and a stalwart belief in second chances.”― Publishers Weekly for To Be Loved By You

Ope’s Opinion: This was a very predictable, sweet romance. It is a part of a series, but you could read it alone. If you enjoy books focused on rescue animals and cute dogs, you will really enjoy this story. At times the animals were more central in the story than the romance.

Even though the main characters knew each other previously, the romance seemed a little quick when they reunited. It would have helped to see them get to know who they are now.

The ending seem to be setting up for the next book, although I could not find that to confirm it.

Author: Jennifer Vido
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: The Wild Rose Press ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: Cate Ainsworth is poised to land her dream job when an ex-boyfriend—the guy she once loved who left town with no explanation—returns to their Lowcountry hometown. Their long-denied attraction tugs her in a new direction, but will she risk everything for a second chance at love?
A freelance photographer, Knox Price seeks adventure, not commitment. Back in town to care for his uncle gets complicated when he crosses paths with Cate, igniting a spark he can’t ignore. But can he confess the truth about why he walked away?

Ope’s Opinion: This was the perfect read for me at this time. My life was very busy and I needed a ” get away “. This took me to a wonderful island with a very sweet romance. Although this book was short, the characters were well developed and enjoyable to get to know.

This is the first of the Gull Island series. I will be looking for the next one. I want to see where all the relationships go and who else will come to the island.

Goodreads: On a secluded stretch of Cape Cod, a wedding is being planned at a beloved beach house—only for a long kept secret to emerge that hurtles both the wedding and the family off course, in this fresh, lyrical new novel from the acclaimed author of the “charming and warmhearted” ( PopSugar ) The Summer House.

At age ninety-two, Tish Darling is the matriarch and protector of what’s left of the Darling family fortune, including the decades-old beach house, Riptide. Located on the crook of Cape Cod, it’s a place she once loved but has not returned to in decades, since a tragic family accident one perfect summer day. Still, she is determined to keep Riptide in the family. Even if that means going back there on the cusp of her granddaughter’s wedding. Even if it means revealing someone else’s truth.

Her daughter-in-law Cora has her own complicated feelings surrounding Tish’s return as well as doubts about her place within the Darling family. After all, Cora came into the family carrying a secret that her husband promised to keep for her forever. Tish’s sudden return to Riptide may force everything they’ve worked so hard to protect out into the light.

Meanwhile, Cora’s eldest daughter, Andi isn’t exactly looking forward to her little sister’s wedding so soon after her own divorce. To make matters worse, her ex has arrived on the Cape with his insufferable new girlfriend. Andi has no idea how she’ll be able to survive this family reunion…until she bumps into an old friend from the past. A friend who may just offer her a second chance.

As the three distinct generations of Darling women arrive at Riptide, they have no idea that this summer will forever change them. One old secret, kept with the best of intentions, threatens to not only divide the family, but shatter each member’s sense of who they really are. Can the ties that bind survive, when the history you’ve always been told turns out to be untrue?

I have read Hannah McKinnon before and
I am looking forward to reading her again.