After I Do

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Author:  Taylor Jenkins Reid                           after i do
Publisher:  Washington Square Press
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Source:  BookSparks

 

Goodreads:  From the author of Forever, Interrupted—hailed by Sarah Jio as “moving, gorgeous, and at times heart-wrenching”—comes a breathtaking new novel about modern marriage, the depth of family ties, and the year that one remarkable heroine spends exploring both.

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after.

 

Ope’s Opinion:  This book starts out with a quick look at where Lauren and Ryan’s marriage is at the moment.  Then you go back in time.  It is a very cute, traditional courtship. Then the story brings you to the present to see how Lauren and Ryan think they need the time apart from each other.

Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing  flows and her story is very easy to follow.  Each character has different situations going on, but it does not seem overwhelming.  Since each one has flaws and difficulties, it is easy to relate to them and root for the best for each one.

There is a lot of marriage advice given in this book.  It is interesting to hear all the different characters perspective of marriage, romance and love.  It will make you reevaluate what you think is important in your relationship.

I don’t usually quote a part of a book, but this one will stick with me for a long time –   when Lauren’s grandmother says, ” Just because you can live without someone doesn’t mean you want to. ”

** Side note – I am not sure why the author felt the need to insert the “f” word into odd places in the book.  It did not add any emotion to the book.

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on….
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Your Perfect Life

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Author: Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke             book          
Publisher:  Washington Square Press
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source:  Simon & Schuster

 

 

Goodreads:  With “a delicious, page-turning premise, and sweet and surprising insights” (New York Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster), Your Perfect Life perfectly illustrates that old adage: Sometimes, you to have to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes to see what’s in her heart.

 

Best friends since childhood, Casey and Rachel couldn’t lead more different lives. While workaholic Casey rubs elbows with celebrities daily as the host of Gossip TV and comes home nightly to an empty apartment, stay-at-home mom Rachel juggles an “oops” baby, two fiery teenagers, and a husband who barely seems the man she fell in love with two decades before. After an argument at their twentieth high school reunion, Casey and Rachel throw back shots to get the night back on track. Instead, they get a life-changing hangover.

 

Waking up in each other’s bodies the next morning, they must figure out how to navigate their altered realities. Rachel is forced to confront the reason she gave up her broadcasting dreams when she got pregnant in college, and Casey finally steps out of the spotlight to face the truth about why she’s alone. And they soon discover that they don’t know themselves—or their best friend—nearly as well as they thought they did.

 

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke bring humor and heart to every page of this novel that is sure to please fans of In Her Shoes and The Opposite of Me. Your Perfect Life is a story about two very different women, what they didn’t know about each other, and how, by switching lives, they each learn to appreciate their own.

Ope’s Opinion: This is a perfect vacation read!  It was an easy read – the story and writing just flowed.  I did have to look back once in a while to remember whether Casey or Rachel were talking, even with that it was a really enjoyable read.

It is one of those books that you could just read as a surface, fun read or you could take away a lot of underlying life lessons.  This would be a good book club read.  I think it would bring about a lot of discussion.  I could see this as a movie too!!

Is the grass greener on the other side?  Would it be greener for you or are you exactly where you should be?  This book will make you think about positive parts of where your life is now.

I hope Liz and Lisa write together again.  I was impressed with the fact that you could not tell that two people wrote this book.  It was seamless.

This book left me with a good feeling.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Coming Soon….

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……  On a Bookshelf near you!

In August this is what I hope to read!

positive

Publication Date:  August 26, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins

Goodreads: An astonishing memoir for the untold number of children whose lives have been touched by bullying. Positive is a must-read for teens, their parents, educators, and administrators—a brave, visceral work that will save lives and resonate deeply.

Paige Rawl has been HIV positive since birth, but growing up, she never felt like her illness defined her. On an unremarkable day in middle school, she disclosed to a friend her HIV-positive status—and within hours the bullying began. From that moment forward, every day was like walking through a minefield. Paige was never sure when or from where the next text, taunt, or hateful message would come. Then one night, desperate for escape, fifteen-year-old Paige found herself in her bathroom staring at a bottle of sleeping pills.

That could have been the end of her story. Instead, it was only the beginning. Paige’s memoir calls for readers to choose action over complacency, compassion over cruelty—and above all, to be Positive.

Includes twenty-five photos from Paige’s personal collection throughout.

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

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

 

Until I Found You

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Author:  Victoria Bylin                                          until
Publisher: Bethany House Publishes
Genre:  Contemporary Christian Fiction
Source:  Author

Thank you Victoria for sending this one to me.

 

Goodreads:  Contemporary Romance to Make You Laugh, Cry, and Fall in Love
When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff. Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life: “God, if you’re real, I want to know you.”

It’s Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate’s rescue. Nick is handsome, confident, and seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke. She’s not planning to fall in love with one of the locals.
Nick Sheridan is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer. When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action. He doesn’t expect to be swept off his feet by the car’s occupant. He’s made a vow: no dating for a year. And it’s a vow he intends to keep in spite of his attraction to Kate Darby..

Ope’s Opinion:  If you are a reader of Christian Fiction, you will absolutely love this book.  It has God all through it.  He is the center focus of the whole book.  I would have a copy in every church library.  

Victoria Bylin knows how to write real characters who are looking for God in their lives.  She let you see the flaws in each persons life, so you can relate to them.  For Kate ( the main character ) coming to believe in God was a slow, hard journey – as I think is with most of us – which made it feel all that much more realistic and relatable.

The end of the  story is very predictable, but the road there was a unique one.

If you are looking for a good Christian Fiction – pick this one up.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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Since You’ve Been Gone

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Author:  Morgan Matson                         since
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster
Genre:  Contemporary YA
Source:  BEA

 

Goodreads:  The Pre-Sloane Emily didn’t go to parties, she barely talked to guys, she didn’t do anything crazy. Enter Sloane, social tornado and the best kind of best friend—the one who yanks you out of your shell.But right before what should have been an epic summer, Sloane just… disappears. No note. No calls. No texts. No Sloane. There’s just a random to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-selected-definitely-bizarre-tasks that Emily would never try… unless they could lead back to her best friend. Apple Picking at Night? Ok, easy enough.Dance until Dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a Stranger? Wait… what?

 

Getting through Sloane’s list would mean a lot of firsts. But Emily has this whole unexpected summer ahead of her, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected) to check things off. Who knows what she’ll find?

 

Go Skinny Dipping? Um..

Ope’s Opinion:  Morgan Matson was one of the reasons I was so excited about BEA this year.  I couldn’t wait to meet her and get her next book.  She was worth the time in  line to meet and the book is worth the time to read!!

When I started reading this book I thought it was a YA Bucket list.  I was wondering what that would read like?  As I read, I enjoyed that the tasks on the list were completed in a different way then Emily ( and I ) thought would happen.  I also liked how I saw Emily learn and grow with each task.  It kept me reading.  It read really fast – the story kept moving.  The flashbacks gave you background to Emily and her relationships.  This also helped you understand the items on the list.  It was very clear when you were in the present and when you went to a flashback.

Each person brought into Emily’s life made an impact on her.  It was fun to watch Emily interact with Dawn, Gideon, Collins, even her brother and parents.  They each brought a unique perspective to Emily’s story and her finding herself.  Emily goes from seeing herself as a follower to seeing herself as a strong independent person.  Watching that happen in the book is very subtle and inspiring.

I would recommend this book. It has friendship, self-discovery, and a little romance. I am ready for Morgan Matson’s next book!!

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Nantucket Sisters

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Author:  Nancy Thayer                             nantucket sisters
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Source: My friend Mary Ann

 

Goodreads:  Nancy Thayer, the New York Times bestselling author of Island Girls, tells the emotionally-charged story of two childhood friends on the tumultuous path to love and wisdom in this heartfelt ode to friendship.

When Maggie and Piper meet as girls on the Nantucket beach, they are instant best friends—even though Piper’s mother would much prefer she play with the daughters of senators and statesmen than a seamstress’s kid like Maggie. But after many golden summers spent building sandcastles and sharing their dreams for the future, Piper and Maggie grow apart. In her twenties, beautiful and spirited Piper worries she’ll never amount to more than the glittering wife of a successful husband, while hardworking redheaded Maggie scrimps and saves her pennies, wondering if she’ll ever have the luxury of a passionate romance. It seems they have little in common…until Cameron Chadwick appears on the island. A wealthy Midwestern charmer, Cameron takes moonlit walks on the dunes with Maggie and whisks Piper away to New York City for lavish nights on the town. When both women discover they’re pregnant, it looks like the end of their already-distant friendship. But as Maggie and Piper struggle to decide what their lives will be, they realize more than ever before how very much they need a friend.

Ope’s Opinion:  Well, lets just start with the cover – it made me want to frame it or better yet, go there.  Next look who the author is – Nancy Thayer – an awesome writer, who always draws me in.  Then read the synopsis – made me want to start reading.

Getting to know all the characters and their relationships took a little while, but worth the reading.  When events happen you have the background to understand why each one reacted the way they did.  I liked that this book started out with childhood friends.

If you have beach or pool time this summer, this should be in your bag to take along.  It will keep your attention, entertain you and put a smile on your face at the end.  Although, it is a bit predictable, I liked the ending.

I will keep reading Nancy Thayer. I enjoy her story telling.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Custody

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custodyAuthor:  Nancy Thayer
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:  

When Kelly MacLeod becomes a Massachusetts Family Court judge, she is determined to do what is right. But what is right when one’s deepest personal emotions clash with the law?

Anne Madison, a respected state reformer with political aspirations, wants custody of her 12-year-old adopted daughter Tessa, as does Randall Madison, a prominent physician. Tessa, caught between warring parents, on the brink of her own sexuality, wonders who her birth mother is, and tries to please those she loves at a cost that just might be too high.

How does one balance public service with private desires? What does it mean, legally and emotionally, to be a family? How does one move past anger and sorrow toward compassion and wisdom? How do adults learn to temper their own wills with the best needs of the child?

In order to must answer these questions, Kelly MacLeod must judge her new and mysterious lover, her own past, and the complications of many kinds of love.

Ope’s Opinion:  The prologue took my breath away and made me want to read this story.  The story was a slow build of tension.  I did not want to put this book down. There were some very interesting twists along the way.

All the characters were fascinating.  Each had flaws that made them feel real.  I really liked the family dynamics in this story.  It was interesting to see each family member react to the custody.

I wish Thayer had made a sequel instead of wrapping it up at the end of this book.  I still want to know where everyone is now.

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Just One Day

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Author:  Gayle Forman               just one day
Publisher:  Speak
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Purchased

 

 

Goodreads:   From the New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay

Allyson Healey’s life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

A book about love, heartbreak, travel, identity, and the “accidents” of fate, Just One Day shows us how sometimes in order to get found, you first have to get lost. . . and how often the people we are seeking are much closer than we know.

The first in a sweepingly romantic duet of novels. Willem’s story—Just One Year—is coming soon

Ope’s Opinion:  To me this book is a coming of age book.  It was a very slow start.  The one day seemed to go on and on for me.  I did get bored with it.  After Allyson went to college the book improved some, but never really swept me away.

I was a little tired of being sad in this book.  I like when a character has obstacles to overcome, but it feels good when you see them triumph.  There didn’t seem to be any success in this book.

I liked that Willem encouraged Allyson in the beginning to step out of her comfort zone and do something on the spare of the moment.  But he is self centered and doesn’t really take care of her like he should.  I do not understand what Allyson sees in him.

This book did not keep my attention enough for me to be interested in Just One Year.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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The Tailgate

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Author: Elin Hilderbrand                                   tailgate
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source:  Purchased

 

 

Goodreads:  A digital edition short story about young lovers at separate colleges, exploring the early years of the central relationship in Elin Hilderbrand’s forthcoming novel, The Matchmaker.

Clendenin Hughes first kissed Dabney Kimball during a Nantucket snowstorm freshman year of high school. Ever since that moment – God, the rush, the chemistry! – Dabney has known that she and Clen are an unsplittable unit – essentially the same person in two different bodies.

Of course, with Dabney now at Harvard and Clen at Yale, those bodies are 140 miles apart. And traveling is a serious challenge for Dabney, for reasons she’d prefer not to discuss, reasons having to do with her mother (or lack thereof). But with the big Harvard-Yale game coming up, Dabney is determined to make the trek to New Haven to see Clen. She’s even borrowed a sexy black outfit from a classmate down the hall.

But when she arrives at the tailgate to see sparks flying between Clen and Jocelyn, a girl with dark blue eyes and luscious black hair, Dabney fears the collapse of a bond she has never questioned before, a bond so important that she’ll be lost without it. A stirring portrait of young love at a crossroads,

THE TAILGATE introduces two irresistible characters and invites us into a world we don’t want to leave. To learn the fates of Dabney and Clen, read Elin Hilderbrand’s forthcoming novel, The Matchmaker.

Ope’s Opinion:  This story is very short and so will this review be.   It is exactly what it is  meant to be – a sneak peak into The Matchmaker to tempt you into reading the book.

This introduction will make you  want to know more about Clen and Dabney.  If you have already read The Matchmaker ( which I did – review June 9th ) this will be an interesting look at where it all began.

As usual Elin Hilderbrand, caught my attention and left me wanting more!

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Breathe, Annie, Breathe

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Author:  Miranda Kenneally                           Breathe
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source:  BEA

 

Available to buy tomorrow.

 

Goodreads:   Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book flowed like Annie’s running.  It started out slow with a few bumps and continued to get stronger and move faster.  You can read a lot of metaphors in the book about life and running or you can just enjoy the story.  It works really well either way.

Everyone deals with loss in their own way and in their own timing.  I think Annie is very mature for her age and handles her loss in a positive way.  It was fascinating to watch her become stronger in her running and her spirit at the same time.  It felt like a realistic pace of healing her heart so she could be open to someone new.

This is the first book in this series I have read. Now I want to go back and read all the other  books Miranda Kenneally wrote!  I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

This would have been a five chair, but the details of the sexual scenes were not necessary – especially for a young teen reader.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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