Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Source: Ballantine Books ( Netgalley )

Goodreads:  Heather Willette has a good life in Concord, Massachusetts–complete with a husband who runs his own business and a son to take up his mantle one day. But now that her marriage has fizzled out and Ross, her only child, is graduating from college and getting serious with his girlfriend, Heather wonders if that life is the one she really wants. Ready to seek out her own happiness and discover herself again, Heather decides to leave her husband and rent a cottage on Nantucket. And her plan is going perfectly–until Ross announces he’s moving to Nantucket to work at his girlfriend’s family’s construction business instead of going back home to work with his own father, like he’d promised. Worst of all for Heather, this means having to get along with her.

Kailee Essex is thrilled that Ross is willing to move to her hometown. She has big hopes for their happily ever after, especially now that her parents are finally showing interest in her career. She’s less thrilled, however, about his mother living nearby. Kailee has clashed with Heather since the day they met. But anything is possible in the summer sun and sea breezes of Nantucket–even reconciliation. And when change comes sooner than either Heather or Kailee expect, they must learn to overcome their differences to fight for the future they want.

With All the Days of Summer, beloved storyteller Nancy Thayer delivers a moving novel that explores the complexity of family and the unexpected ways fate can guide you forward.

Ope’s Opinion: I have enjoyed several of Nancy Thayer’s books – unfortunately this one was not one of them. I did read it in the cold of winter – may have enjoyed it more on the beach with my toes in the sand. I also felt like the story was being told to me, not drawing me in – it felt monotone.

The characters were negative and self centered. Marriage was not cherished (too easily just tossed aside ). Kailee was an entitled, spoiled adult, who only thought about how circumstances would affect her. It was hard to find a likable character.

I did keep reading with the hopes that everyone would grow up. I saw some improvement at the end, but not enough to make the read worth it. 

Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Source: Tantor Audio ( Netgalley )

Goodreads:  MRS. KENNEDY: The Missing History of the Kennedy Years is a poignant and deeply sympathetic account of Jacqueline Kennedy during the 1,000 days of the Kennedy presidency. Critically acclaimed biographer Barbara Leaming has — with revelatory new eyewitness testimony, profoundly moving letters written by Jackie, minute-by-minute Secret Service records, and recently declassified top-secret documents — crafted an astonishing portrait of a Jackie Kennedy the world has not previously known. Leaming’s meticulous reportage illuminates the tumultuous day-to-day life of a young woman fighting for her survival, her marriage, and her husband’s presidency. Its unique perspective on the very public Kennedy marriage during an extraordinary time in our nation’s history is both riveting and shocking. Leaming’s conviction that the Kennedys’ private life cannot be understood outside the context of the presidency makes MRS. KENNEDY something much more than a portrait of a marriage. It is also, in important ways, the story of the Kennedy presidency, with a tremendous missing piece filled in. Leaming has produced not only the definitive account of the Kennedy marriage, but also a richly detailed and marvelously dramatic picture of John F. Kennedy and his administration as they have never been seen before.Brilliantly researched, intellectually probing and far-reaching in scope, MRS. KENNEDY is a book that will forever change the way we think about both Jacqueline Kennedy and the man she loved.

Ope’s Opinioin: If you are a huge historian this book will definitely appeal to you. The details are unending. In my opinion the book should be called President and Mrs. Kennedy because there is as much time ( if not more ) spent on the President as there was on Mrs. Kennedy. His affairs are recounted over and over again. 

There are 19 hours to listen to and Elizabeth Wiley has a good voice to dispense this information. This was definitely a book to listen to, rather than read. I don’t think I would have made it through it if I had read it.

Publisher: HarperAudio
Genre: Memoir
Source: Library

Goodreads:  A touching and intimate correspondence between Anderson Cooper and his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, offering timeless wisdom and a revealing glimpse into their lives

Though Anderson Cooper has always considered himself close to his mother, his intensely busy career as a journalist for CNN and CBS affords him little time to spend with her. After she suffers a brief but serious illness at the age of ninety-one, they resolve to change their relationship by beginning a year-long conversation unlike any they had ever had before. The result is a correspondence of surprising honesty and depth in which they discuss their lives, the things that matter to them, and what they still want to learn about each other.

Both a son’s love letter to his mother and an unconventional mom’s life lessons for her grown son, The Rainbow Comes and Goes offers a rare window into their close relationship and fascinating life stories, including their tragedies and triumphs. In these often humorous and moving exchanges, they share their most private thoughts and the hard-earned truths they’ve learned along the way. In their words their distinctive personalities shine through—Anderson’s journalistic outlook on the world is a sharp contrast to his mother’s idealism and unwavering optimism.

 An appealing memoir with inspirational advice, The Rainbow Comes and Goes is a beautiful and affectionate celebration of the universal bond between a parent and a child, and a thoughtful reflection on life, reminding us of the precious insight that remains to be shared, no matter our age.

Ope’s Opinion: When I chose to listen to this memoir, I thought it was more about Anderson Cooper, then his mother Gloria Vanderbilt. At first I was a bit disappointed, but as I listened, it gave me insights to both of them. 

They gave highlights of how the two of them are similar and how they are different. It was a very frank and felt like a truthful look at how Gloria Vanderbilt was raised. I knew of some of the headlines in the newspapers, but her perspective was eye opening.

I would be very interested to reading more about Anderson Cooper, his partner, and family. I would like to hear his perspective on his life now – there was a little of his opinions in this book, but I would like something centered more on him. 

Goodreads: From a million-copy bestselling author, comes an unforgettable and heartbreaking story about one woman’s determination to keep her family together when their world falls apart…

“Mom, why are you so mad at Dad?”

“I’m not,” I say, which isn’t exactly true. Putting on a brave face for my two young daughters—pretending everything is fine in my marriage—has been hard. That, and losing the house after Daniel lied to me.

I never expected to have to uproot my family to go live in my parents’ isolated cottage on Lost Lake. It’s twenty miles to the nearest town, an insignificant speck in endless pine forests. Nobody’s lived here for a decade.

Now, I pick up a rusty pail from its nest of autumn leaves and turn to my daughter. Suddenly, I recall how I used to help my own mother pick wild strawberries up here as a little girl. Maybe, this isn’t a punishment. Maybe this place will be the making of our family.

I’m still thinking it when my daughter rests her silky head on my shoulder that evening in the flickering firelight. And when, over a steaming cup of coffee at dawn, I watch a single loon cut a course through the mirrored surface of Lost Lake.

Later, I’ll hold on to these memories—ghostly shreds of another life. Because just eight hours after I sat on that sofa, feeling so hopeful, the world as I knew it—as anyone knew it—was gone for good.

What do you do when the worst thing in the world happens to your family? A gripping, beautiful story that will break your heart. For fans of Boo Walker, Where the Forest Meets the Stars and Julianne MacLean.

Kate Hewitt has delivered many hours of good reading for me.
I hope this one be just as enjoyable.
I will review this at a later date.

Publisher: Canary Street Press
Publication Date: February 13, 2024

Goodreads: 

The rules of summer book club are
•          No sad books 
•          No pressure 
•          Yessssss, wine! 

Besties Laurel and Paris are excited to welcome Cassie to the group. This year, the book club is all about fill-your-heart reads, an escape from the chaos of the everyday—running a business, raising a family, juggling a hundred to-dos. Even the dog is demanding (but the bestest boy).

Since Laurel’s divorce, she feels like the Worst Mom Ever. Her skepticism of men may have scarred her vulnerable daughters. Cassie has an unfortunate habit of falling for ridiculous man-boys who dump her once she fixes them. Paris knows good men exist. She’s still reeling after chasing off the only one brave enough—and foolish enough—to marry her.

Inspired by the heroines who risk everything for fulfillment, Laurel, Paris and Cassie begin to take chances—big chances—in life, in love. Facing an unwritten chapter can be terrifying. But it can be exhilarating, too, if only they can find the courage to change.

I don’t get physical books very often anymore. 
What a treat!
Thank you, Emer.

Publisher: Random House
Genre: Nonfiction
Source: Library ( Audio )

Goodreads:  It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.

For Harry, this is that story at last.

Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight.

At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love.

Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother. . . .

For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

Ope’s Opinion: Harry’s voice was very easy to listen to. He has a nice soothing way of talking, but you could still hear the emotion and frustration at times. I did have to remind myself that this was his point of view. It made me feel sympathy for him and Meghan and what it took for them to be together. 

Harry’s time at war was very detailed. That part drug on a little long for me. 

I would be interested in reading about how they are now, although I feel they need their privacy and have a “normal” life. 

This is a Christmas gift from my daughter.

This is the completed puzzle.

Goodreads: When a body is presumed to be her missing husband’s, a woman must unravel the secrets of her own past to clear her name, find the truth, and put her conscience to rest once and for all. All Ruby wanted was a fresh start. But after an early retirement and a relocation to a tight-knit community with her husband, Tom, and her daughter, Lily, her new beginning takes a turn. First her troubled daughter and then her husband disappear without a trace. Unsure how to cope, grief-ridden Ruby turns to her neighborhood friends to find a way forward with new hobbies, including a murder club where they try to solve cold cases. But just as unexpectedly as her family vanished, a body floats to the surface of the nearby lake. And everyone is sure the body belongs to Tom…everyone except Ruby. Determined to find out what happened to her family once and for all, Ruby digs into her neighbors’ lives, and her own, only to uncover secrets that raise more questions than they answer. And the biggest question of all—why doesn’t she recognize the body?

I have enjoyed Rea Frey in the past. 
This looks like another good one, but I have not read it yet.

This is the book I choose to start my year of reading.

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: March 12, 2024

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?

Denise Hunter is an author I have enjoyed over the years. 
I hope this will be another good one from her.

I hope your new year starts with a good book.
New year, new books, let’s get started!