Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Romance
Source: Library

Goodreads: Widowed by an unspeakable tragedy, Camille Palmer has made her peace with the past and settled into the quiet safety of life with her teenage daughter Julie in a sleepy coastal town. Then the arrival of a mysterious package breaks open the door to her family’s secret past. In uncovering a hidden history, Camille has no idea that she’s embarking on an adventure that will utterly transform her.

Camille, Julie, and Camille’s father return to the French town of his youth, sparking  unexpected memories — recollections that will lead them back to the dark days of the Second World War. And it is in the stunning Provençal countryside that they will uncover their family’s surprising history.

While Provence offers answers about the past, it also holds the key to Camille’s future. Along the way, she meets a former naval officer who stirs a passion deep within her — a feeling that she thought she’d never experience again.

Ope’s Opinion: I listened to this book from my library. It was just okay. It felt like a really long story. The narrator was amazing at female voices, but her male voices sounded like robots and talked real slow. I got used to that part after a while.

There are several romances going on at the same time. All of them are slow moving ones and the details are mostly left behind closed doors.

There were several places where I felt like the characters had a sudden change of attitude or change of heart. It just didn’t seem to happen naturally. The ending felt like everything was solved all of a sudden.

Publisher: Revell
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Revell ( Netgalley )

Goodreads: Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she’d left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course–because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy.

A trip to Oregon isn’t in Matt Quinn’s plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn’t on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister’s new enterprise on life support.

Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B–if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.

Ope’s Opinion: This is the way Christian Fiction should be written. It was a clean romance, with God at the center, but no preachy feeling to it. The characters felt like real people with real life happening to them – good and bad.

The setting was one of my favorites – an Inn at the beach. I do hope her next book will take me back there.

This was Hope Harbor #10, but it seemed like a stand alone to me. I have not read the others, but now I want to go back and catch up on the others in the town.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Christian Fiction / Mystery
Source: Library

Goodreads: The gripping second installment of the Pelican Harbor series from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble!

Police Chief Jane Hardy has only just been reunited with her long-lost son when she learns of an impending terror attack that threatens everything she holds dear.

A lie changed her world. Police Chief Jane Hardy is still reeling from the scandal that rocked her small-town department just as she took over for her retired father—the man who wrecked her life with one little lie. Now she’s finally been reunited with her presumed-dead fifteen-year-old son, Will, and his father, documentarian Reid Dixon.

When a murder aboard the Gulf Coast oil platform Zeus exposes an environmental terrorist’s plot to flood Mobile Bay with crude oil, Jane and Reid must put their feelings for each other aside and work together to prevent the looming sabotage.

When the terrorist puts Will’s life on the line, protecting him could be the common ground Jane and Reid need . . . until ghosts from the past threaten to ruin their fragile relationship for good. Jane has plenty of reasons to run. But what if she stays?

Ope’s Opinion: I think this would have been better if I had read the first book in the series more recently. I didn’t remember a lot of background things. I enjoy Christian fiction, but this one felt like God was just put in the story every so often so it would be put in the Christian fiction category. The mystery was fun to try to figure out. I did feel like I was missing a few pieces of the puzzle. It also felt over the top at the end. It was very action packed.

Goodreads: Vienna Price never intended to return for more than a passing visit to Oregon and all the bad memories she’d left behind. But when your career tanks, home is where you go to nurse your wounds and chart a new course. Only temporarily, of course–because as much as she loves her quirky mom, anything more than a short stay would drive them both crazy.

A trip to Oregon isn’t in Matt Quinn’s plans, either, until a perfectly timed appeal for help arrives from his sister. What better place to decompress after a shattering loss than a quiet, seaside town named Hope Harbor? But R&R isn’t on the agenda when he arrives to find his sister’s new enterprise on life support.

Vienna, however, may have just the skills needed to resuscitate the foundering B&B–if Matt can convince her to hang around long enough to mend an inn . . . and his heart.

This one looks really good!
My review will be coming soon.

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Library

Goodreads: Four siblings experience the drama, intrigue, and upheaval of the ’60s summer when everything changed in Elin Hilderbrand’s #1 New York Times bestselling historical novel.

Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century. It’s 1969, and for the Levin family, the times they are a-changing. Every year the children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother’s historic home in downtown Nantucket. But like so much else in America, nothing is the same: Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby, caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests and determined to be independent, takes a summer job on Martha’s Vineyard. Only-son Tiger is an infantry soldier, recently deployed to Vietnam. And thirteen-year-old Jessie suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother and her worried mother, while each of them hides a troubling secret.

As the summer heats up, Ted Kennedy sinks a car in Chappaquiddick, man flies to the moon, and Jessie and her family experience their own dramatic upheavals along with the rest of the country. In her first historical novel, rich with the details of an era that shaped both a nation and an island thirty miles out to sea, Elin Hilderbrand once again earns her title as queen of the summer novel.

Ope’s Opinion: I am a big fan of family drama and siblings with good relationships. This book had both of those. The family drama was a bit over the top. There was a whole cast of characters – this made it hard to get any depth to any one of them. The historical facts were accurate and made the story seem realistic. This was a superficial look at a summer on Nantucket.

I liked the ending. It was a happy time for the family, but it was not perfect.

Publisher: Revell
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Revell ( NetGalley )

Goodreads: Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle and manages it with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather’s fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She’s grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she’s just not going to find in this backwoods town.

The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they’ll swap jobs and lifestyles. But they never anticipated swapping love interests . . .

In this fabulous new twist on an age-old fable, award-winning and bestselling author Melody Carlson introduces you to two career-focused women who are about to discover that there’s more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.

Ope’s Opinion: Oh, Melody Carlson knows how to write a story that keeps my interest from the beginning to the very end. The characters are well developed with relatable flaws. It was great to see their growth.

It was a heartwarming, easy read. A perfect light beach read that leaves you with a smile.

The ending was very satisfying. My only wish was that there was an epilogue, so we knew where they were now.

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

Goodreads: In the Orbit of You is a YA story of enduring love from acclaimed author Ashley Schumacher, where a personality test reunites two friends and makes them second guess their careful plans.

It’s been years since Nova Evans last saw Sam. She was too young then to understand why he had to move away―and what it had to do with the cuts and bruises he got from home and never wanted to talk about. All she knew is that they promised to find each other when they were older, something she thought was impossible thanks to her and her mom moving around constantly. Until she bumps into Sam in her new school, and realizes he has clearly forgotten their childhood promise.

Sam Jordan has a plan for his accept his college football scholarship, date his girlfriend Abigail, and―most importantly―hide how much he wants to do something, anything other than The Plan™ his parents and coaches have set before him. It doesn’t matter if sometimes he finds himself thinking about the new girl he met in the cafeteria, a girl who reminds him of a past that hurts to remember.

When a school-wide personality test reveals Nova and Sam to be each others’ top matches―not only that, but a match of 99%, the highest in the school―they begin to remember why they were such close friends, all those years ago. As well as the myriad of reasons this new-yet-familiar, magnetic, sparkling thing between them will never, ever work out.

In the Orbit of You is a story about the enduring and changing nature of friendship, of the strange struggle between who you are and who you want to be, and finding your voice after trauma.

Ope’s Opinion: If you are a reader of YA books, this is one you should not miss. It is definitely a young adult book, not one that boarders on adult. I would recommend it to teens – there is a little language, but not over the top. There are a couple of subjects that might be sensitive, but they are handled so well.

This is so much more than a romance – each character ( even the adults ) show so much growth and understanding of themselves and each other. The adults played a significant part in the story.

Ashley Schumacher just knows how to write a story that makes you feel like you are there. This is my second book by her and I will continue to read what she writes.

Goodreads:  In the Orbit of You is a YA story of enduring love from acclaimed author Ashley Schumacher, where a personality test reunites two friends and makes them second guess their careful plans.

It’s been years since Nova Evans last saw Sam. She was too young then to understand why he had to move away―and what it had to do with the cuts and bruises he got from home and never wanted to talk about. All she knew is that they promised to find each other when they were older, something she thought was impossible thanks to her and her mom moving around constantly. Until she bumps into Sam in her new school, and realizes he has clearly forgotten their childhood promise.

Sam Jordan has a plan for his accept his college football scholarship, date his girlfriend Abigail, and―most importantly―hide how much he wants to do something, anything other than The Plan™ his parents and coaches have set before him. It doesn’t matter if sometimes he finds himself thinking about the new girl he met in the cafeteria, a girl who reminds him of a past that hurts to remember.

When a school-wide personality test reveals Nova and Sam to be each others’ top matches―not only that, but a match of 99%, the highest in the school―they begin to remember why they were such close friends, all those years ago. As well as the myriad of reasons this new-yet-familiar, magnetic, sparkling thing between them will never, ever work out.

In the Orbit of You is a story about the enduring and changing nature of friendship, of the strange struggle between who you are and who you want to be, and finding your voice after trauma.

My review will be coming soon.

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

Goodreads: She thought she’d scripted the perfect boyfriend. But she’s convinced that the actor cast to play him doesn’t know a thing about real love. Frustrated with the sad state of her dating life, restaurateur Chloe Culpepper penned a single romance novel featuring the man of her dreams. Upon the book’s publication, the hero resonated with thousands of women, catapulting the book to the top of the bestsellers list and earning the novel a movie option. Chloe is thrilled a production company wants to bring her movie to the big screen and film it right in her hometown, Stillwater Bay, South Carolina. But when the producer casts Liam Hamilton—a notorious Hollywood playboy—for the part of her beloved Ledger, she’s appalled. He’s just like her unfaithful ex-boyfriend—and her duplicitous father. How can Liam possibly understand, much less portray, the wonderful character who captured her heart and made her readers swoon? An embarrassing and contentious first meeting does little to allay Chloe’s fears about Liam. The man hasn’t even read her book! But one thing she she must win him over if she’s to influence his role and save the integrity of her movie. Due to the deceitful tabloids and, okay, some minor commitment issues, Liam Hamilton’s reputation—and career—is in jeopardy. On the advice of his manager and best friend, he offers a bargain with the wholesome author of his upcoming if she will appear in public as his steady girlfriend during the making of the movie, he will take her direction on the role of Ledger. Could a little quid pro quo offer a solution to both of their problems? Or will the bargain cause more trouble than either of them could’ve possibly imagined?

Ope’s Opinion: I like the fake relationship genre, so I enjoyed this read. It was a very slow burn romance – another of my favorite reads. Seeing Liam and Chloe navigate their relationship was interesting, felt realistic and had a few twists.

The story was predictable in the best way. The twists were unique. It was great to watch them react to the unexpected things that happened.

I have read a few of Denise Hunters books before and I will continue to read her. This was my first read of this year and I am glad this is how I chose to start my year of reading. 

Goodreads:  She thought she’d scripted the perfect boyfriend. But she’s convinced that the actor cast to play him doesn’t know a thing about real love.

Frustrated with the sad state of her dating life, restaurateur Chloe Culpepper penned a single romance novel featuring the man of her dreams. Upon the book’s publication, the hero resonated with thousands of women, catapulting the book to the top of the bestsellers list and earning the novel a movie option.

Chloe is thrilled a production company wants to bring her movie to the big screen and film it right in her hometown, Stillwater Bay, South Carolina. But when the producer casts Liam Hamilton—a notorious Hollywood playboy—for the part of her beloved Ledger, she’s appalled. He’s just like her unfaithful ex-boyfriend—and her duplicitous father. How can Liam possibly understand, much less portray, the wonderful character who captured her heart and made her readers swoon?

An embarrassing and contentious first meeting does little to allay Chloe’s fears about Liam. The man hasn’t even read her book! But one thing she she must win him over if she’s to influence his role and save the integrity of her movie.

Due to the deceitful tabloids and, okay, some minor commitment issues, Liam Hamilton’s reputation—and career—is in jeopardy. On the advice of his manager and best friend, he offers a bargain with the wholesome author of his upcoming if she will appear in public as his steady girlfriend during the making of the movie, he will take her direction on the role of Ledger.

Could a little quid pro quo offer a solution to both of their problems? Or will the bargain cause more trouble than either of them could’ve possibly imagined?

Look for my review to come soon.