Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Christmas
Source: St. Martin’s Griffin ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: A heartwarming love story set at Christmas time by USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle.

In the enchanting mountain town of Chestnut Ridge, where tree farms blanket the hillsides and the promise of a white Christmas is ever-present, a heartwarming holiday romance is about to blossom. When Sheila’s best friend convinces her to help decorate a tree in the annual Christmas Tree Stroll fundraiser, she embarks on an unexpected journey of self-discovery, all wrapped in the cozy embrace of a tight-knit community. As she immerses herself in the joy of twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and the camaraderie of the townsfolk, Sheila’s world begins to transform, and she finds the sense of belonging she never knew she needed.

Meanwhile, Tucker, the town’s reliable fire captain, is gathering volunteers to help a family with four young children who have just lost their home to a devastating fire weeks before Christmas. Sheila offers her helping hand, and as the town rallies to support the family in their time of need, sparks of love begin to flicker between her and Tucker.

In this charming town where dreams come true, and Christmas magic is everywhere, come along for a tale of love, community, and the true spirit of the season.

Ope’s Opinion: This is a perfect read to get into the holiday spirit. The people in Chestnut Ridge care about each other. It is a romance and there are a few romances going on, but it is also about people caring for each other in a small town.

This story made me smile. It made me want to go visit Chestnut Ridge for the holidays. It would be fun to see this as a Hallmark movie.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Christian Fiction / Suspense
Source: Kristi at Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads: A devastating explosion.
Three best friends are at the venue to hear their favorite band. Only one makes it out alive.

A trunk full of evidence.
When police stop Dustin Webb with a warrant to search his trunk, he knows there’s been a mistake. He’s former military and owns a security firm. But he’s horrified when the officers find explosives, and he can’t fathom how they got there.

An attorney who will risk it all for an old friend.
Criminal attorney Jamie Powell was Dustin’s best friend growing up. They haven’t spoken since he left for basic training, but she’s the first person he thinks of when he’s arrested. Jamie knows she’s putting her career on the line by defending an accused terrorist, but she’d never abandon him. Someone is framing Dustin to take the fall for shocking acts of violence . . . but why?

Ope’s Opinion: I think this is a 3.5. It is better than average, but not amazing. I liked that we found out who did it long before the end came. It took us on a ride after the mystery was solved. It was a fun ride – sort of predicable ending, but a good one.

I liked that Jamie and Dustin had a relationship in the past. It made their friendship move quickly without a lot of explanation needed between them. Taylor’s character seemed unnecessary, a little immature and a little erratic. I wish some of the facts had come out in a different way.

I know this Christian fiction and I really do like Christian fiction, when Bible verses were quoted, it felt like they were just put their randomly. The other references to God and their relationship to God seemed natural.

Publisher: Ballatine Books
Genre: Fiction
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends make a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.

Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and law school hopeful from D.C.; Summer, a recruited athlete and perfectionist from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after moving into their shared dorm, they strike up a conversation in a study lounge, and the seeds of friendship are planted.

As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, a pact is made to be there for each other in their time of need, no matter how separated they are by circumstances or distance.

Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.

In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides to help pick up the pieces?

Ope’s Opinion: This book was a coming of age of 30 somethings. Their relationships started in college. They had some bonding experiences that drew them closer than most friendships.

I kept thinking this book was going to go somewhere else, but it didn’t. It was okay, but not the usual amazing Emily Giffin.

I did enjoy the different perspectives of the same parts of the story. I also thought this could only happen with people with money. Who else could travel like they did and have the time off from work.

The ending came fast and felt rushed. Happily ever after without a connection to all the other stuff that happened.

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: Thriller
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: What if the person you thought you knew best turns out to be someone you never knew at all . . . ?

Andrea Cooper knows everything about her mother Laura. She’s knows she’s spent her whole life in the small beachside town of Gullaway Island; she knows she’s never wanted anything more than to live a quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she’s never kept a secret in her life. Because we all know our mothers, don’t we?

But all that changes when a Saturday afternoon trip to the mall explodes into violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Because it turns out that before Laura was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she’s been hiding from her previous identity, lying low in the hope that no one will ever find her. But now she’s been exposed, and nothing will ever be the same again.

Twenty-four hours later Laura is in the hospital, shot by an intruder who’s spent thirty years trying to track her down and discover what she knows. Andrea is on a desperate journey following the breadcrumbs of her mother’s past. And if she can’t uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either one of them. . . .

Ope’s Opinion: Well, this is suppose to be a thriller. I think it missed the mark. There was a lot of descriptive details of the murder scene – this was repeated too many times. The characters did not make me root for them, not even sure I cared too much about what happened to them.

I do wish instead of starting with the murder scene, I wish we had known the mother and daughter first so I would care about them. It didn’t draw me in because they felt like strangers.

Maybe I am just not the right audience for this book.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Holiday
Source: St. Martin’s Griffin

Goodreads: Explore this delightfully cozy and joyful novel of second chances at the most wonderful time of the year, from USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley.A feel-good novel as delightful and comforting as a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night, The Christmas Inn is bestselling author Pamela Kelley’s most heartwarming and magical book yet.Riley Sanders didn’t plan on losing her job as a content marketing manager right before Christmas. When she calls her sister Amy to vent, she learns that their mother has broken her leg and could really use some help at the inn. Riley decides to head home to the inn, nestled along the shores of Cape Cod, in time for the Christmas rush. She is happy to help and needs something to distract her as mistletoe is hung and snowflakes begin to fall.When she gets there, she not only finds delicious cookies and a crackling fire to lift her spirits, but also the sense of family she’s been missing all along. There’s Franny, a woman who has just lost her sister and has four unopened letters from her that she plans to use to open her up to new experiences on the Cape. And there’s Aidan, her high school sweetheart, now a widower, who is staying at the inn with his nine year-old son, Luke. What begins as a quick stay over the holidays to help her mom turns into something that means much more—a second chance at romance, a deeper sense of found family, and all the joy and wonder that comes with Christmastime on Cape Cod.

Ope’s Opinion: I was a bit concerned about reading a holiday book before the season had started, but I should not have worried about it. I was easily swept away into the story and the magic of the season.

I had recently read The Bookshop by the Bay, so returning to Chatham felt familiar. It was enjoyable to see some characters from the Bookshop and get to know some new people.

I enjoyed that there was not a lot of drama in this book. It would be the calm escape in the crazy time of the holiday.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Romance
Source: St. Martin’s Griffin ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: One summer can change everything.

Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book after personal losses. Her older sister, Sara, still lives in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they grew up, and is married with four children. Once a dedicated librarian, Sara dreams of reviving her love affair with literature, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities and a fizzling marriage.

When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt’s oceanfront house in Chatham for the summer, it seems like just the thing to get her creative juices flowing. And she’ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce, to do something rewarding and book-related. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance― especially Spencer, an old acquaintance from high school-turned very hot grump― and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews, Susan Mallery and Brenda Novak, The Seaside Sisters will delight and charm you as easily as an ocean breeze.

Ope’s Opinion: This was such a good read. Exactly what I needed at the time I was reading it. It was a nice escape – the cape as the setting was a great get away, the characters were ones you want to be happy and the story lines ( there were a few ) kept my interest.

Each character in the book had his or her own story line that was tangled up with all the rest of them – there was a sister story, several romances and a lot of good friendships.

The ending was what you expect and want. The journey through their lives was a good way to spend some time. And the cover is beautiful!

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Mystery
Source: St. Martin’s Press ( Netgalley )

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?

Ope’s Opinion: This was a good mystery, but a very depressing book. Everyone in this story had issues and a lot of problems. It moved along at a very even pace – no highs or lows, just a steady pace. I wasn’t very invested the characters.

The saving grace was the ending.

Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of… lucky.

Ope’s Opinion: This will be a mixed review. I liked the idea of the story, the characters were likable ( except the one you are not suppose to like! ) and it was well written. I did not care for the detailed steamy scenes or the foul language.

I wish that Olive pursued her career as much as she pursued a relationship. I really did like the sisters relationship – it felt very real. The family dynamics were fun too.

I am not sure I like the ending. Happily ever after is usually part of the romance books, but I wish this one had ended a bit differently – just my opinion.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Thomas Nelson ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: She can’t remember. He can’t forget.

Seven months ago, after graduating with a hospitality degree, city girl Lauren Wentworth travelled to rural New Hampshire to become temporary manager of Pinehaven Lodges, a rustic family-owned resort. What started as just a springboard to her dream job became so much more when she fell in love with the owner’s son Jonah, the Landry family, and her simple but rewarding position at the resort. Now she’s reaching toward a different kind of future than she’d imagined for herself–and happier than she’s ever been. But then she falls from a ladder.

When Lauren wakes up in the hospital, she only recalls her first couple months at the resort. She remembers her adversarial relationship with Jonah and her major crush on small-town doctor, Carson, who also has big-city ambitions–but is, unfortunately, taken. However, according to everyone around her, she’s now madly love with Jonah and has forfeited the dream job awaiting her in Boston. It seems impossible to believe she could’ve made such drastic changes in a matter of months!

Jonah is heartbroken at her memory loss and determined to help Lauren remember the deep feelings they’ve developed for one another. But Lauren isn’t sure she wants to remember falling in love with someone she doesn’t even like or giving up her dream career for a rustic resort in Podunk, New Hampshire.

Especially when Dr. Carson is now available. . .

Ope’s Opinion: I really enjoy Denise Hunter’s books. This one was good, but not her usual captivating stories. This was a cozy, quick read – enjoyable, but not as deep as I would have liked.

The characters are sweet and good to each other. They each wanted what was best for the other person. It was fun to see them fall in love with each other twice. Dr. Carson seemed like an unnecessary character. I thought he would have been a larger part of the story.

The ending is exactly what you expect.

Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Library

Goodreads: A captivating novel following the exploits of Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy, the forgotten and rebellious daughter of one of America’s greatest political dynasties.

London, 1938. The effervescent “It girl” of London society since her father was named the ambassador, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy moves in rarified circles, rubbing satin-covered elbows with some of the 20th century’s most powerful figures. Eager to escape the watchful eye of her strict mother, Rose, the antics of her older brothers, Jack and Joe, and the erratic behavior of her sister Rosemary, Kick is ready to strike out on her own and is soon swept off her feet by Billy Hartington, the future Duke of Devonshire.

But their love is forbidden, as Kick’s devout Catholic family and Billy’s staunchly Protestant one would never approve their match. When war breaks like a tidal wave across her world, Billy is ripped from her arms as the Kennedys are forced to return to the States. Kick gets work as a journalist and joins the Red Cross to get back to England, where she will have to decide where her true loyalties lie—with family or with love . . .

Ope’s Opinion: I am not a big historical fiction reader, but I really enjoyed this one. In my opinion, a good historical fiction makes me want to go see how much is real. I did do an internet search about Kathleen Kennedy when I was done reading.

I also really enjoyed the authors note at the end of the book. Kerri Maher ( the author ) told us some facts about the Kennedy’s and where she got her information, so if you wanted to look at more about them. This made me enjoy it more.