Tag Archives: Contemporary Fiction

Gone Too Soon

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Author: Dani Atkins
Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source:  Kristin of Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads: I’d have done everything differently if I had known she’d be gone so soon… When Lisa married Alex, she gave his life meaning. She was a professional astronomer: a stargazer. And when she gazed at Alex, she saw that behind his tough exterior was a man she could love.

Alex, Lisa and their young son Connor made a happy little universe. But then Lisa dies in a train crash, and their perfect world is destroyed. Alex is shattered by loss, and overwhelmed by the difficulties of being a single father to a six-year-old boy. How can he and Connor carry on without Lisa lighting up their lives?

Then Alex meets four strangers. Two men and two women, who never met Lisa, but whose lives changed profoundly because of her. As Alex hears their stories, he begins to realise the world may not be as cruel and senseless as it seems. If you can find the strength to start over, there are new beginnings and silver linings in even our most heartbreaking moments…

Ope’s Opinion:  Have you seen the movie Return to Me?  This book reminds me of that movie.  It is so full of scenes that are both heartwarming and heart wrenching.  

As sad as this story is, it is full of hope too.  Watching Alex and Connor come to terms with their loss was hard, but they had so many people to help them through it.

Although I don’t think I can read two of these in a row, I will look up Dani Atkins back list of books and put those on my TBR list.

Promises of the Heart

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Author: Nan Rossiter
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Genre: Contemporary Fiction 
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:  Can the course that they’ve set for the future handle a slight detour…?

Macey and Ben Samuelson have much to be thankful for: great friends, a beautiful—if high-maintenance—Victorian house on idyllic Tybee Island, and a rock-solid marriage. The only thing missing is what they want the most. After her fifth miscarriage in six years, Macey worries that the family they’ve always dreamed of might be out of reach. Her sister suggests adoption, but Macey and Ben aren’t interested in pursuing that path…until a three-legged Golden Retriever named Keeper wags his way into their home and their hearts.

Harper Wheaton just got kicked out of another foster home and it won’t be the last if she keeps losing her temper. She’s not sure why she gets mad; maybe because no family seems to want a nine-year-old girl with a heart condition. She loves her social worker, Cora, but knows that staying with her forever isn’t an option. Will she ever find a family to call her own?

As a physician’s assistant, Macey meets lots of kids. Harper Wheaton’s a tough one, but Macey knows the little girl has already struggled more than most. It gets Macey and Ben to thinking about all the children who need homes. Then Harper goes missing, and one thing is suddenly crystal clear: life is complicated—but love doesn’t have to be.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is a very heartwarming story of love and family.  The characters will wiggle their way into your heart and you will root for them to very end.  It was nice to read about a good marriage, friendly neighbors,and people who care about each other.  

This was a very quick paced story – I think the short chapters helped move it along too.  You knew where the story was going to go, but it was the journey that mattered.  The ending was exactly what you expected!

Coming Soon…

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In July I hope to read….

Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Goodreads:  Samantha Casey loves everything about her job at an elementary school on the sunny, historic island of Galveston, Texas—the goofy kids, the stately Victorian building, the butterfly garden. But when the school’s beloved principal retires, he announces that his replacement will be none other than Duncan Carpenter—a former, unrequited crush of Sam’s from many years before. When Duncan shows up as her new boss, though, he’s nothing like the sweet teacher she once swooned over. He’s become stiff, and humorless, and obsessed with school safety.

Now, with Duncan determined to destroy everything Sam loves about her school in the name of security—even trying to replace the building itself with a high-tech version that’s nothing short of a prison—Sam has to find her voice and use it to stand up for everyone she cares about before the school that’s become her home is gone for good.

Told with Katherine Center’s unparalleled warmth, humor, and heart, this new novel proves why she is one of the fastest rising stars in fiction today.

 

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

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

The Printed Letter Bookshop

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Author: Katherine Reay
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Kristin of Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads:  Love, friendship, and family find a home at the Printed Letter Bookshop

One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt—and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.

While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls. When Madeline’s professional life takes an unexpected turn, and when a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and for her aunt’s beloved shop—provided the women’s best combined efforts are not too little, too late.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.

Ope’s Opinion: What a wonderful and satisfying read!  I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book.  I will look for more of Katherine Reay.   Her characters were relatable, real, and I rooted for them all the way.  Hearing the story from Madeline, Janet, and Claire’s perspective moved the story along and gave you insights to each of them. 

I really liked the story taking place mostly in the bookshop.  I also liked that the story was about the relationship between the three woman first, their other relationships second and their romance was only a small part of it all.  It is nice to read about women with full lives.

I heard someone say this book is charming – I think that is a wonderful way to describe it.  It is a good book to just curl up with and enjoy it.

Coming Soon….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In January I hope to read….

 

Publication Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: Harliquin Mira

Goodreads: In Sullivan’s Crossing, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr has created a place where good people, powerful emotions, great humor and a healthy dose of common sense are the key ingredients to a happy life. Sullivan’s Crossing brings out the best in people. It’s a place you’ll want to visit again and again.

Dr. Leigh Culver loves practicing medicine in Timberlake, Colorado. It is a much-needed change of pace from her stressful life in Chicago. The only drawback is she misses her aunt Helen, the woman who raised her. But it’s time that Leigh has her independence, and she hopes the beauty of the Colorado wilderness will entice her aunt to visit often.

Helen Culver is an independent woman who lovingly raised her sister’s orphaned child. Now, with Leigh grown, it’s time for her to live life for herself. The retired teacher has become a successful mystery writer who loves to travel and intends to never experience winter again.

When Helen visits Leigh, she is surprised to find her niece still needs her, especially when it comes to sorting out her love life. But the biggest surprise comes when Leigh takes Helen out to Sullivan’s Crossing and Helen finds herself falling for the place and one special person. Helen and Leigh will each have to decide if they can open themselves up to love neither expected to find and seize the opportunity to live their best lives.

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

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

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!

The Whole Way Home

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Author: Sarah Creech
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: William Morrow

 

Goodreads:  A ferocious talent on the brink of making it big in Nashville must confront her small town past and an old love she’s never forgotten in this engaging novel—a soulful ballad filled with romance, heartbreak, secrets, and scandal from the author of Season of the Dragonflies.

Playing to packed houses while her hit song rushes up the charts, country singer and fiddler Jo Lover is poised to become a big Nashville star like her idols, Loretta, Reba, and Sheryl. To ensure her success, Jo has carefully crafted her image: a pretty, sassy, down-to-earth girl from small-town Virginia who pours her heart into her songs.

But the stage persona she’s built is threatened when her independent label merges with big-time Capitol Records, bringing Nashville heartthrob JD McCoy—her first love—back into her life. Long ago Jo played with JD’s band. Then something went wrong, they parted ways and took their own crooked roads to stardom. Now, Jo’s excited—and terrified—to see him again.

When the label reunites them for a show, the old sparks fly, the duet they sing goes viral, and fans begin clamoring for more—igniting the media’s interest in the compelling singer. Why is a small-town girl like Jo so quiet about her past? When did she and JD first meet? What split them apart? All too soon, the painful secret she’s been hiding is uncovered; a shocking revelation that threatens to destroy her reputation and her dreams. To salvage her life and her career, Jo must finally face the past—and her feelings for JD—to become the true Nashville diva she was meant to be.

Ope’s Opinion:  Recently my daughter and I were in Nashville and I went to the Ryman Auditorium.  It really helped me picture Jo on stage, which made this story more enjoyable. Reading about the behind scenes of country music was interesting.

Jo, like most people, has things in her past that she doesn’t care to share with the world.  Being famous makes it harder to keep secrets, being famous also makes it harder to know who to trust with those secrets.

This was a predictable story that had a nice even flow to it.  I enjoyed the relaxed read and actually wanted the ending just the way it is.

This Just In…

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From Claire, at Little Bird Publicity

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.

Thank you Little Bird Publicity ( Claire ) for sending this one!

This Just In….

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Publication Date:  September 12, 2017
Publisher:  Penguin Press

Goodreads:  In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.
Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.
When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

Thank you Penguin Press!

Published: June 1, 2017
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Goodreads:  Ella Broden is living a double life.

By day, Ella works as a buttoned-up attorney on some of the city’s most grueling cases. By night, she pursues her passion for singing in the darkest clubs of Manhattan.

No one knows her secret, not even Charlotte, the younger sister she practically raised. But it seems she’s not the only one in the family with something to hide. When Charlotte announces she’s sold her first novel, Ella couldn’t be more thrilled…until she gets a call that her sister’s gone missing.

Ella starts investigating with the help of Detective Gabriel Velasquez, an old flame in the NYPD, and what she finds is shocking. If art imitates life, then her sister’s novel may contain details of her real-life affairs. And any one of her lovers could be involved in her disappearance.

Desperate to bring Charlotte home, Ella works through her list of suspects, matching fictitious characters with flesh-and-blood men. But will it be too late to save the sister she only thought she knew?

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for this book.

Everything We Keep is the first of this series.  It was published August 1, 2016.
Everything We Left Behind will be published:  July 4, 2017
Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Goodreads:  From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Everything We Keep comes the highly anticipated sequel. Told from one man’s two perspectives, Everything We Left Behind effortlessly blends suspense, mystery, and romance in an exploration of loss, resilience, and the compelling need to protect the ones we love at all cost.

Two months before his wedding, financial executive James Donato chased his trade-laundering brother Phil to Mexico, only to be lost at sea and presumed dead. Six and a half years later, he emerges from a dissociative fugue state to find he’s been living in Oaxaca as artist Carlos Dominguez, widower and father of two sons, with his sister-in-law Natalya Hayes, a retired professional surfer, helping to keep his life afloat. But his fiancée, Aimee Tierney, the love of his life, has moved on. She’s married and has a child of her own.

Devastated, James and his sons return to California. But Phil is scheduled for release from prison, and he’s determined to find James, who witnessed something in Mexico that could land Phil back in confinement. Under mounting family pressure, James flees with his sons to Kauai, seeking refuge with Natalya. As James begins to unravel the mystery of his fractured identity, danger is never far behind, and Natalya may be the only person he can trust.

Thank you Ashley for passing this book on to me.  Looks awesome!

 

Coming Soon…

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In November I hope to read….

emily-price

Publication Date:  November 1, 2016
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Goodreads:  Art restorer Emily Price has never encountered anything she can’t fix—until she meets Ben, an Italian chef, who seems just right. But when Emily follows Ben home to Italy, she learns that his family is another matter . . .

Emily Price—fix-it girl extraordinaire and would-be artist—dreams of having a gallery show of her own. There is no time for distractions, especially not the ultimate distraction of falling in love.

But Chef Benito Vassallo’s relentless pursuit proves hard to resist. Visiting from Italy, Ben works to breathe new life into his aunt and uncle’s faded restaurant, Piccollo. Soon after their first meeting, he works to win Emily as well—inviting her into his world and into his heart.

Emily astonishes everyone when she accepts Ben’s proposal and follows him home. But instead of allowing the land, culture, and people of Monterello to transform her, Emily interferes with everyone and everything around her, alienating Ben’s tightly knit family. Only Ben’s father, Lucio, gives Emily the understanding she needs to lay down her guard. Soon, Emily’s life and art begin to blossom, and Italy’s beauty and rhythm take hold of her spirit.

Yet when she unearths long-buried family secrets, Emily wonders if she really fits into Ben’s world. Will the joys of Italy become just a memory, or will Emily share in the freedom and grace that her life with Ben has shown her are possible?

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

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