The Favourite Daughter by Patti Callahan Henry
Ten years ago, Lena Donohue experienced a wedding-day betrayal so painful that she fled the small town of Watersend, South Carolina, and reinvented herself in New York City. Though now a freelance travel writer, the one place she rarely goes is home--until she learns of her dad's failing health.
Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family's Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters' rift. While Alzheimer's slowly steals their father's memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena's own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family's Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters' rift. While Alzheimer's slowly steals their father's memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena's own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
Lena and her siblings – Hallie and Shane – band together to plan a birthday party and create a memory book for their father. The book is filled with old photos and stories written by Lena and Hallie. Some surprising family secrets are unearthed putting the book together and the family must grapple with the truth over that as well as the betrayal from ten years ago. Even though both sisters could be very annoying I did enjoy this book.
An Invitation to Murder by A.G.Barnett
Mary Blake had it all.
Actress, icon and darling of the nation, she was the queen of TV crime drama.
Then she turned fifty.
When replaced on the show by a younger woman, she thinks her days in the limelight are over when an invitation to a murder mystery party from an old friend throws her back into the public eye. This time as a murder suspect.
After playing a detective for years, Mary must now become one as she tries to prove her innocence with the help of her puppy-like brother and her surprisingly useful friend and assistant, Dot.
Actress, icon and darling of the nation, she was the queen of TV crime drama.
Then she turned fifty.
When replaced on the show by a younger woman, she thinks her days in the limelight are over when an invitation to a murder mystery party from an old friend throws her back into the public eye. This time as a murder suspect.
After playing a detective for years, Mary must now become one as she tries to prove her innocence with the help of her puppy-like brother and her surprisingly useful friend and assistant, Dot.
There were enough characters who had an excellent motive for committing the murder that I gave up trying to work out who was who and who it was.
Bizarre collection of people and unclear motives or too many motives so you were kept guessing to the end.
Ghost of a Chance by Cate Dean
Welcome to Holmestead, England ~ where an American ex-pat, an archaeologist, and murder turn this small, picture postcard village upside down.
Maggie Mulgrew runs The Ash Leaf, an antique shop in the quaint village of Holmestead, England ~ which has nothing to do with Sherlock, thank you very much.
She sells her goods to tourists, and locals who appreciate her eclectic taste.
Professor Pembroke Martin is hunting down an artifact that had been stolen by a former assistant ~ a hand-blown apothecary jar that is the center of an old ghost story. His search leads him to Holmestead, and a stubborn, fascinating American who has acquired the box that once contained the rare jar.
When the missing jar turns up, clutched in the hand of the very dead local historian, Martin becomes the prime suspect. He and that dead historian were bitter rivals.
With his future on the line, Martin turns to Maggie for help, and they join forces to find the real killer.
Maggie Mulgrew runs The Ash Leaf, an antique shop in the quaint village of Holmestead, England ~ which has nothing to do with Sherlock, thank you very much.
She sells her goods to tourists, and locals who appreciate her eclectic taste.
Professor Pembroke Martin is hunting down an artifact that had been stolen by a former assistant ~ a hand-blown apothecary jar that is the center of an old ghost story. His search leads him to Holmestead, and a stubborn, fascinating American who has acquired the box that once contained the rare jar.
When the missing jar turns up, clutched in the hand of the very dead local historian, Martin becomes the prime suspect. He and that dead historian were bitter rivals.
With his future on the line, Martin turns to Maggie for help, and they join forces to find the real killer.
This story was pretty simplistic and unrealistic. It seemed like the ghost was thrown in at the end to justify the title of the story!
Location scout and Jane Austen aficionado, Kate Sharp, is thrilled when the company she works for lands the job of finding locations for a new film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, but then her boss, Kevin, fails to return from a scouting trip to England. Afraid that Kevin has slipped back into some destructive personal habits he struggles with, Kate travels to England to salvage Kevin’s and the company’s reputation before word gets out that he is missing.
Things go from bad to worse when Kate arrives in Nether Woodsmoor, a quaint village of golden stone cottages and rolling green hills, only to find no trace of Kevin except his abandoned luggage. Even the rumpled, easygoing local scout they consulted, Alex, doesn’t know where Kevin might be.
Increasingly worried about Kevin and with an antsy director waiting for updates about the preproduction details, Kate embarks on a search that includes a pub-crawl and cozy cottages as well as stately country manors. But Kevin remains missing, and she begins to suspect that the picturesque village and beautiful countryside may not be as idyllic as they seem.
Things go from bad to worse when Kate arrives in Nether Woodsmoor, a quaint village of golden stone cottages and rolling green hills, only to find no trace of Kevin except his abandoned luggage. Even the rumpled, easygoing local scout they consulted, Alex, doesn’t know where Kevin might be.
Increasingly worried about Kevin and with an antsy director waiting for updates about the preproduction details, Kate embarks on a search that includes a pub-crawl and cozy cottages as well as stately country manors. But Kevin remains missing, and she begins to suspect that the picturesque village and beautiful countryside may not be as idyllic as they seem.
Ash Mountain by Helen Fitzgerald
Fran hates Ash Mountain, and she thought she’d escaped. But her father is ill, and needs care. Her relationship is over, and she hates her dead-end job in the city, anyway.
She returns to her hometown to nurse her dying father, her distant teenage daughter in tow for the weekends. There, in the sleepy town of Ash Mountain, childhood memories prick at her fragile self-esteem, she falls in love for the first time, and her demanding dad tests her patience, all in the unbearable heat of an Australian summer.
As old friendships and rivalries are renewed, and new ones forged, Fran’s tumultuous home life is the least of her worries, when old crimes rear their heads and a devastating bushfire ravages the town and all of its inhabitants…
Simultaneously a warm, darkly funny portrait of small-town life – and a woman and a land in crisis – and a shocking and truly distressing account of a catastrophic event that changes things forever, Ash Mountain is a heart-breaking slice of domestic noir, and a disturbing disaster thriller that you will never forget…
She returns to her hometown to nurse her dying father, her distant teenage daughter in tow for the weekends. There, in the sleepy town of Ash Mountain, childhood memories prick at her fragile self-esteem, she falls in love for the first time, and her demanding dad tests her patience, all in the unbearable heat of an Australian summer.
As old friendships and rivalries are renewed, and new ones forged, Fran’s tumultuous home life is the least of her worries, when old crimes rear their heads and a devastating bushfire ravages the town and all of its inhabitants…
Simultaneously a warm, darkly funny portrait of small-town life – and a woman and a land in crisis – and a shocking and truly distressing account of a catastrophic event that changes things forever, Ash Mountain is a heart-breaking slice of domestic noir, and a disturbing disaster thriller that you will never forget…
The time travel in this story became confusing at times. Parts of this story are very emotional and intense.
Bloombay Beginning by Lilly Beckett
Welcome to Bloombay, a small island off Seattle’s coast with stunning ocean views, picturesque vineyards, and a tight-knit community.
Sisters Emily, Donna, and Olivia Abernathy miss each other dearly. Residing in different cities, they only see each other a few times a year. But when Emily, the eldest sister, is forced to move to Bloombay, Donna and Olivia immediately visit her to make sure she’s okay. They find themselves at crossroads in their own lives too, and the island charms them in unexpected ways.
Emily Abernathy has dedicated the past twenty years to raising her children. When her husband leaves her for a younger woman, she’s forced to move out of their house. Living in LA is expensive, and at forty-five, she knows she’ll have a tough time on the job market, but she’s lucky to find a job at a small hotel on a small island she’d never heard of before: Bloombay. Once Emily moves to the island she finds out her new job isn’t as secure as she thought.
Olivia Abernathy’s friends all think her boyfriend, Noah, is definitely going to propose, but she isn’t so sure. As a surgeon in Seattle, he works longer hours than she does as a graphic designer, but Olivia wonders if there’s more to his recent late nights out and sudden cool behavior. When she confronts him with her worries, she gets an unexpected response that makes her want to rethink everything in her life. Spending time with her sisters is just what she needs. And the handsome architect who insists on joining her on her morning runs seems to have more than friendship on his mind.
Donna Abernathy is a successful doctor in San Francisco. She works tirelessly and takes great pride in what she does. Her laid-back relationship with a lawyer who thrives on a busy schedule is just what she needs. Except Donna has always wanted to be a mother, and as time passes, that wish only grows. But when things don’t work out as expected, she desperately wants a change of scenery and pays a visit to her eldest sister, Emily, in Bloombay.
Emily Abernathy has dedicated the past twenty years to raising her children. When her husband leaves her for a younger woman, she’s forced to move out of their house. Living in LA is expensive, and at forty-five, she knows she’ll have a tough time on the job market, but she’s lucky to find a job at a small hotel on a small island she’d never heard of before: Bloombay. Once Emily moves to the island she finds out her new job isn’t as secure as she thought.
Olivia Abernathy’s friends all think her boyfriend, Noah, is definitely going to propose, but she isn’t so sure. As a surgeon in Seattle, he works longer hours than she does as a graphic designer, but Olivia wonders if there’s more to his recent late nights out and sudden cool behavior. When she confronts him with her worries, she gets an unexpected response that makes her want to rethink everything in her life. Spending time with her sisters is just what she needs. And the handsome architect who insists on joining her on her morning runs seems to have more than friendship on his mind.
Donna Abernathy is a successful doctor in San Francisco. She works tirelessly and takes great pride in what she does. Her laid-back relationship with a lawyer who thrives on a busy schedule is just what she needs. Except Donna has always wanted to be a mother, and as time passes, that wish only grows. But when things don’t work out as expected, she desperately wants a change of scenery and pays a visit to her eldest sister, Emily, in Bloombay.
I did enjoy this book even though it was very predictable.
One Summer in Italy by Lilly Mirren
When the Summer sisters discover their grandmother's journals after her death, they unlock a mystery that shakes their family to the core. Who is Charlie Jackson? Is he their grandfather? And if so, what happened to him?
Reeda leaves the Waratah Inn and returns to Sydney, her husband, and her thriving interior design business, only to find her marriage in tatters. She's lost sight of what she wants in life and can't recognise the person she's become.
Instead of facing her problems, Reeda embarks on a journey to discover more about the grandfather she never knew, leaving her troubles behind her.
Her search takes her to Italy, where a trail of clues leads her across the country with few answers to satisfy her burning curiosity about the past. And instead of helping her to forget, her pilgrimage reminds her of everything she loves and what she's left behind.
Under the Italian sky, Reeda discovers that the joy she was searching for was hidden inside her all along. And instead of running from her problems, she embraces the healing she needs to face them.
Reeda leaves the Waratah Inn and returns to Sydney, her husband, and her thriving interior design business, only to find her marriage in tatters. She's lost sight of what she wants in life and can't recognise the person she's become.
Instead of facing her problems, Reeda embarks on a journey to discover more about the grandfather she never knew, leaving her troubles behind her.
Her search takes her to Italy, where a trail of clues leads her across the country with few answers to satisfy her burning curiosity about the past. And instead of helping her to forget, her pilgrimage reminds her of everything she loves and what she's left behind.
Under the Italian sky, Reeda discovers that the joy she was searching for was hidden inside her all along. And instead of running from her problems, she embraces the healing she needs to face them.
This is the second book in a series. I didn't read the first one but I don't think I missed out on any thing. Lots of twists and turns that kept this book interesting.
In a Jam by Cindy Dorminy
Andie Carson has to do three things to inherit her grandmother’s lottery winnings—sober up, spend a month running her grandmother’s Georgia coffee shop, and enter homemade jam in the county fair. If she can’t meet those terms, the money goes to the church, and Andie gets nothing. She figures her tasks will be easy enough, and once she completes them, Andie plans to sell the shop, take the money, and run back to Boston.
After a rough breakup from his crazy ex-fiancée, Officer Gunnar Wills decides to take a hiatus from women. All he wants is to help make his small town thrive the way it did when he was a kid. But when wild and beautiful Andie shows up, Gunnar’s hesitant heart begins to flutter.
Gunnar knows that Andie plans to leave, but he’s hoping to change her mind, fearful that if her coffee shop closes, Main Street will fold to the big-box corporations and forever change the landscape of his quaint community. But convincing her to stay means getting close enough to risk his heart in the process. Even though Gunnar makes small-town life seem a little sweeter, Andie has to decide if she’s ready to turn her world upside down and give up big-city life. One thing’s for sure—it’s a very sticky situation.
After a rough breakup from his crazy ex-fiancée, Officer Gunnar Wills decides to take a hiatus from women. All he wants is to help make his small town thrive the way it did when he was a kid. But when wild and beautiful Andie shows up, Gunnar’s hesitant heart begins to flutter.
Gunnar knows that Andie plans to leave, but he’s hoping to change her mind, fearful that if her coffee shop closes, Main Street will fold to the big-box corporations and forever change the landscape of his quaint community. But convincing her to stay means getting close enough to risk his heart in the process. Even though Gunnar makes small-town life seem a little sweeter, Andie has to decide if she’s ready to turn her world upside down and give up big-city life. One thing’s for sure—it’s a very sticky situation.
This again was a very predictable read which I enjoyed.
Squall by Sean Costello
Bush pilot and family man Tom Stokes is about to face the worst day of his life. On a clear winter morning he sets out in his Cessna 180 to do some repairs on a remote hunt camp, leaving his five year old son and very pregnant wife snug in their beds.
On the return trip, a squall forces him into an emergency landing and he winds up—quite literally—in the lap of petty criminal Dale Knight. Dale, now a fugitive from the law—and worse, from a merciless drug lord who just happens to be his brother—draws Tom into a web of mayhem and treachery that puts not only his life at risk, but the lives of his wife, son…and unborn child.
On the return trip, a squall forces him into an emergency landing and he winds up—quite literally—in the lap of petty criminal Dale Knight. Dale, now a fugitive from the law—and worse, from a merciless drug lord who just happens to be his brother—draws Tom into a web of mayhem and treachery that puts not only his life at risk, but the lives of his wife, son…and unborn child.
Lots of twists and turns in this thriller involving an incident family and a drug deal that's gone very wrong.
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
In the idyllic small town of Pagford, a councillor dies and leaves a 'casual vacancy'-an empty seat on the parish council.
In the election for his successor that follows, it is clear that behind the pretty surface this is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, wives at war with husbands, teachers at war with pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.
I have to say I was quite disappointed in this book. I have read every book that J.K.Rowling has written. Loved all the Harry Potter books and also the Robert Galbraith. Cormoran Strike series.I was actually quite bored during parts of this book because the story dragged on so much.
I loved Squall. Must add a few of these to my reading list.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.