The House on Mermaid Point

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Author: Wendy Wax
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source:  Kristin of Kritters Ramblings

 

Goodreads:  Maddie, Avery, and Nikki first got to know one another—perhaps all too well—while desperately restoring a beachfront mansion to its former grandeur. Now they’re putting that experience to professional use. But their latest project has presented some challenges they couldn’t have dreamed up in their wildest fantasies—although the house does belong to a man who actually was Maddie’s wildest fantasy once. . . .

Rock-and-roll legend “William the Wild” Hightower may be past his prime, estranged from his family, and creatively blocked, but he’s still worshiped by fans—which is why he guards his privacy on his own island in the Florida Keys. He’s not thrilled about letting this crew turn his piece of paradise into a bed-and-breakfast for a reality show . . . though he is intrigued by Maddie. Hard as that is for her to believe as a newly single woman who can barely manage a dog paddle in the dating pool.

But whether it’s an unexpected flirtation with a bona fide rock star, a strained mother-daughter relationship, or a sudden tragedy, these women are in it together. The only thing that might drive them apart is being trapped on a houseboat with one bathroom. . . .

Ope’s Opinion: This is the third in the series of Ten Beach Road.  If you liked the first two you definitely will like this one too.  Another house, another time of the women working together and their relationships are moving on. 

The show goes on.  The women have to remodel another home in Florida.

At this point there are three more in the series, so more fun to come!  Where will the ladies go next?

The Summer that Made Us

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Author: Robyn Carr
Publisher: Mira Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source:  Little Bird Publicity

 

Goodreads:  Mothers and daughters, sisters and cousins–they lived for summers at the lake house until a tragic accident changed everything. The Summer That Made Us is an unforgettable story about a family learning to accept the past, to forgive and to love each other again.

That was then…

For the Hempsteads, two sisters who married two brothers and had three daughters each, summers were idyllic. The women would escape the city the moment school was out to gather at the family house on Lake Waseka. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything.

This is now…

After an accidental drowning turned the lake house into a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. For good. Torn apart, none of the Hempstead women speak of what happened that summer, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.

Robyn Carr has crafted a beautifully woven story about the complexities of family dynamics and the value of strong female relationships.

Ope’s Opinion:  This did not feel like most of Robyn Carr’s books.  It was a deeper, heavier read then she usually writes.  There were a lot of issues addressed in this book.  It was a little on the depressing side.

The story was told from several peoples point of views, so that help to see the whole picture and understand the relationships.  There were a lot of “flashbacks” – views into things that brought the characters were they are now.  I enjoyed the present story of sisters coming back to the lake house better then the past story line.

The ending brought everything to a satisfying conclusion.

The Two of Us

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Author: Victoria Bylin
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Victoria Bylin / Bethany House Publishers

Goodreads:  Heartwarming and Touching New Contemporary Romance from Victoria Bylin

After two broken engagements, nurse practitioner Mia Robinson is done with dating. From now on, she only trusts herself and God, and she’s focused on her eighteen-year-old sister, Lucy, and caring for patients. Just as she applies to work for an international aid organization, a phone call from Lucy, who’s pregnant and running off to marry her twenty-one-year-old boyfriend, throws a wrench into all of Mia’s plans.
Jake Tanner may have recovered from the physical injuries he sustained on the job as a police officer, but his heart has yet to heal from losing his former partner in the tragedy. He’s poured himself into starting a camp for the sons of fallen officers and mentoring Sam, the adult son of his deceased partner, who’s asked him to be his best man at his wedding.
Mia is expecting a mess when she arrives to sort out the situation with Lucy, but she wasn’t expecting Jake. And Jake, who can’t help envying Sam and Lucy, doubts he’ll ever experience their happiness for himself. But maybe Jake’s courage and Mia’s caring spirit are just what they need to bring them a lifetime of healing and a forever kind of love. . . .

Ope’s Opinion: Yes, this Christian Fiction.  Yes, God is in the middle of this story and in the middle of the lives of the people in this book.  Yes, you should read this book!  There should be a copy of this book in every church library ( well, in every library for that matter ).

No, this book did not preach at me.  No these people were not perfect – they had flaws and life did not always go smoothly. There are a lot of different relationships in different stages of life – easy for any reader to relate to.

The ending was expected and satisfying.  I am looking forward to Victoria Bylin’s next book.

The Child Finder

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Author: Rene Denfeld
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Mystery
Source:  Harper

 

Goodreads:  Three years ago, Madison Culver disappeared when her family was choosing a Christmas tree in Oregon’s Skookum National Forest. She would be eight years old now—if she has survived. Desperate to find their beloved daughter, certain someone took her, the Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. Known to the police and a select group of parents as The Child Finder, Naomi is their last hope.

Naomi’s methodical search takes her deep into the icy, mysterious forest in the Pacific Northwest, and into her own fragmented past. She understands children like Madison because once upon a time, she was a lost girl too.

As Naomi relentlessly pursues and slowly uncovers the truth behind Madison’s disappearance, shards of a dark dream pierce the defenses that have protected her, reminding her of a terrible loss she feels but cannot remember. If she finds Madison, will Naomi ultimately unlock the secrets of her own life?

Ope’s Opinion:  I found this hard to read, not really enjoyable, but told from interesting points of view.  I almost felt like at the end the author was going to tell me it was all a dream – it was told in such a manner that it didn’t feel real. 

The cycle of abuse was an interesting twist to the story.

The ending did make it some what better.

This Just In….

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From Ashley at Amazon

Published:  August 29, 2017
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Goodreads:  From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of When I’m Gone comes a compelling novel of a bond between sisters, tested by tragedy…

Ellie Brown thought she’d finally escaped her stifling hometown of Broadlands, Illinois; med school was supposed to be her ticket out. But when her father has a stroke, she must return home to share his care with her older sister, Amelia, who’s busy with her own family. Working as a paramedic, Ellie’s days are monotonous, driving an ambulance through streets she’d hoped never to see again.

Until a 911 dispatch changes everything. The address: her sister’s house. Rushing to the scene, Ellie discovers that Amelia and her husband, Steve, have been shot in a home invasion. After Amelia is rushed to the hospital, Ellie tries to make sense of the tragedy. But what really happened inside her sister’s house becomes less and less clear. As Amelia hangs on in critical condition, Ellie uncovers dark revelations about her family’s past that challenge her beliefs about those closest to her…and force her to question where her devotions truly lie.

From Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Published:  June 1, 2017
Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Goodreads:  Bestselling authors Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke make their suspense debut in this twisty, emotional thriller.

Elementary school teacher Jacqueline “Jacks” Morales’s marriage was far from perfect, but even in its ups and downs it was predictable, familiar. Or at least she thought it was…until two police officers showed up at her door with devastating news. Her husband of eight years, the one who should have been on a business trip to Kansas, had suffered a fatal car accident in Hawaii. And he wasn’t alone.

For Jacks, laying her husband to rest was hard. But it was even harder to think that his final moments belonged to another woman—one who had left behind her own grieving and bewildered fiancé. Nick, just as blindsided by the affair, wants answers. So he suggests that he and Jacks search for the truth together, retracing the doomed lovers’ last days in paradise.

Now, following the twisting path of that fateful road, Jacks is learning that nothing is ever as it seems. Not her marriage. Not her husband. And most certainly not his death…

These look like two good mysteries to curl up and read!
Look for reviews soon.

Coming Soon….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In September hope to read….

Publication Date:  September 5, 2017
Publisher: Mira Books

Goodreads:  Mothers and daughters, sisters and cousins–they lived for summers at the lake house until a tragic accident changed everything. The Summer That Made Us is an unforgettable story about a family learning to accept the past, to forgive and to love each other again.

That was then…

For the Hempsteads, two sisters who married two brothers and had three daughters each, summers were idyllic. The women would escape the city the moment school was out to gather at the family house on Lake Waseka. The lake was a magical place, a haven where they were happy and carefree. All of their problems drifted away as the days passed in sun-dappled contentment. Until the summer that changed everything.

This is now…

After an accidental drowning turned the lake house to a site of tragedy and grief, it was closed up. For good. Torn apart, none of the Hempstead women speak of what happened that summer, and relationships between them are uneasy at best to hurtful at worst. But in the face of new challenges, one woman is determined to draw her family together again, and the only way that can happen is to return to the lake and face the truth.

Robyn Carr has crafted a beautifully woven story about the complexities of family dynamics and the value of strong female relationships.

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

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

Charmed by Chocolate

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Author: Steena Holmes
Publisher: Tule Publishing
Genre: Romance
Source:  Purchased

 

Goodreads:  When Leah ran off to Southern California, she hoped to leave freezing cold winters and unrequited love behind. She was never meant for a small town life and the timing with her longtime best friend–and secret soul mate–was always hopelessly off.
But after a mishap on the hit reality show Charming, Leah declares her love for Wade nationwide and is publicly dubbed “Lonely Leah.” She returns to Marietta to hide at her family’s home–from the media who wants to turn her into a human interest story, from the townspeople upset with her blunder, and most of all, from Wade, who wants to talk.

It took Leah leaving town to wake Wade Burns up to the reality that he’s head over heels in love with his best friend. But now that she’s back home, she’s giving him the cold shoulder. With chocolate and a grand gesture, can Wade charm his way back into Leah’s heart?

Ope’s Opinion:  I am a huge fan of Steena Holmes.  That is the whole reason I picked this one up.  I am still a fan of Steena Holmes, but this is not her usual story telling.  This one is up beat, light, easy read.   Probably a good one for holiday reading when life is crazy and you need a little something to relax you.

This book is  a part of a series, but each book has a different author, so you can read it alone.  It is a sweet story that has the happy ending – all of which you can figure out at the beginning – and some times exactly what you want.

Steena Holmes novels are usually deep, full of wonderful characters and leaving you thinking…  so if you have a chance, pick up any one of her novels – you won’t be disappointed.

You’re the One that I Want

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Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:  Owen Christiansen has been in a downward spiral since an injury ended his NHL career. But a job on an Alaskan crabbing boat offers a fresh start . . . maybe even a shot at romance with Elise “Scotty” McFlynn, the captain’s daughter.

Used to being one of the guys, to never relying on anyone, Scotty doesn’t believe in happily ever after―especially with someone like Owen. Her instinct is confirmed when Casper Christiansen arrives to drag his prodigal brother home, bringing with him a truckload of family drama―and even worse, the news that Casper is wanted for questioning in connection to a crime back in Minnesota.

But Owen is more than the sum of his mistakes, a truth both he and Scotty discover when she escorts both brothers to Deep Haven as part of her new job on the Anchorage police force. Thrust into an unfamiliar world of family, faith, and fresh starts, Scotty begins to see potential for a happy ending . . . if she’s brave enough to embrace it.

Ope’s Opinion: If are affiliated with a church library – this series should be in that library.  This is the 6th of the series.  You can read any of them alone, but they are so much better if you start from the beginning.  All the characters are in each book. 

God is definitely in the center of this book and the characters lives in the story.  What I think I like most is the characters have flaws and bad things happen, so you can relate to them.  Not every character is on board with God either – seems more real.

It is sad to see this series end.  It such a wonderful family with great stories.  I will be looking for Susan May Warrens next book.

 

The Wonder of You

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Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:  Mortified after her year abroad is cut short, Amelia Christiansen returns to Deep Haven, certain she isn’t brave enough to embrace the adventures she’s dreamed of. The last thing she expects is for the man who broke her heart to cross the Atlantic and beg forgiveness.

Heir to a European hotel dynasty, Roark St. John has trekked from one exotic locale to another, haunted by tragedy and the expectations that accompany his last name. Amelia is the first woman to give him a reason to stop running. He’ll do anything for a second chance—even contend with Amelia’s old flame, who is intent on sending Roark packing.

While one surprise after another leaves Amelia reeling, Roark’s continued presence only highlights the questions pursuing her. Like him, is she running from the life God has called her to? Could finding her place mean leaving home behind?

Ope’s Opinion: Another wonderful story from the Christiansen family.  It is awesome to read, keeps me on my toes and makes me want to come back to read when I have to put it down. 

Reading about Amelia was a fun, sweet story.  The adventures and suspense were what I expect from Susan May Warren – always keeps me holding my breath!

I will be starting the next ( and final ) one as soon as I am done writing this review!!  What an awesome series.

This Just In….

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From Victoria Bylin and Bethany House Publishing

Published: August 8, 2017
Publisher: Bethany House Publishing

Goodreads:  Heartwarming and Touching New Contemporary Romance from Victoria Bylin

After two broken engagements, nurse practitioner Mia Robinson is done with dating. From now on, she only trusts herself and God, and she’s focused on her eighteen-year-old sister, Lucy, and caring for patients. Just as she applies to work for an international aid organization, a phone call from Lucy, who’s pregnant and running off to marry her twenty-one-year-old boyfriend, throws a wrench into all of Mia’s plans.
Jake Tanner may have recovered from the physical injuries he sustained on the job as a police officer, but his heart has yet to heal from losing his former partner in the tragedy. He’s poured himself into starting a camp for the sons of fallen officers and mentoring Sam, the adult son of his deceased partner, who’s asked him to be his best man at his wedding.
Mia is expecting a mess when she arrives to sort out the situation with Lucy, but she wasn’t expecting Jake. And Jake, who can’t help envying Sam and Lucy, doubts he’ll ever experience their happiness for himself. But maybe Jake’s courage and Mia’s caring spirit are just what they need to bring them a lifetime of healing and a forever kind of love. . . .

From HarperCollins

Publication Date:  October 3, 2017
Publisher:  William Morrow Paperbacks

Goodreads:  How well do you know the people you love…?

Best friends Noah Sandler and Abdi Mahad have always been inseparable.  But when Noah is found floating unconscious in Bristol’s Feeder Canal, Abdi can’t–or won’t–tell anyone what happened.

Just back from a mandatory leave following his last case, Detective Jim Clemo is now assigned to look into this unfortunate accident.  But tragedy strikes and what looked like the simple case of a prank gone wrong soon ignites into a public battle.  Noah is British.  Abdi is a Somali refugee.   And social tensions have been rising rapidly in Bristol.  Against this background of fear and fury two families fight for their sons and for the truth.  Neither of them know how far they will have to go, what demons they will have to face, what pain they will have to suffer.

Because the truth hurts.

What has landed on your door step?