Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

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Once and Again is magical, but heartbreaking, yet such an uplifting moving story about a family of women with a decade’s secret. “The secret? With a mysterious ticket, once in their lifetime they can turn back the clock. The question becomes is it worth it? The answer is in the story as we learn about their lives, their regrets, their hopes and dreams and failures. Is the ticket worth what its cost to the user?

Sylvia is the mother of Marcella and the grandmother of Lauren. Years ago, she was gifted a ticket as a thank you and told she could use it once to reverse time. Every woman in her family would get their own ticket. As mysterious as the ticket is Sylvia’s past life is just as puzzling. She keeps that to herself. Marcella never knew her father, but she did learn about the ticket.

When Marcella’s husband died in a car crash leaving daughter Lauren and herself alone, she did not blink an eye. She knew she had to use the ticket to save him. But by doing that she has spent her life worrying about him. He came back energetic and loved to surf. Needless to say, her fear of losing him never went away.

Now as Lauren ponders her life with her husband Leo, she must make a few decisions. She and Leo have been secretly doing IVF. No matter what they do, they can’t get pregnant and now they have reached a point where not only can’t they afford the process anymore, but Leo just wants to stop completely. This has become a bone of contention between the two of them.

So, when Leo gets an assignment which will take him away for the summer, Lauren decides to spend the summer with her mother, father and grandmother at their house on the beach. She too is an avid surfer. Although she enjoys spending time with her mother, she is much closer to her grandmother and father. For Lauren she has never understood her mother’s feelings towards her.

Thus begins a summer which will change all their lives forever. Certain situations will occur which will not only test Lauren and Leo’s relationship but also test all of their past decisions, starting with Lauren who discovers her first true love, Stone, is living back home, and he tells her he regrets what happened to them years ago.

As the summer progresses, secrets, wishes and dreams will be discovered. So will betrayals. But for Lauren, this ticket will be on her mind. Do you change history? Do you try and work out problems on your own? Who do you love more?

Once and Again is a powerful, sensitive family story filled with intense love, grief and making amends. But the shocking twists and turns will keep you glued until the end!

Thank you #NetGalley #AtriaBooks #RebeccaSerle #OnceandAgain for the advanced copy.

That’s What Friends are For by Wade Rouse

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That’s What Friends are For is Wade Rouse’s first, but not really first book. For years we have been reading his wonderful, beautiful stories under the name Viola Shipman, an ohmage to his beloved grandmother. But this new book although very different from his past stories is in my opinion stronger, more powerful, so very funny but in keeping with Shipman’s plots and characters has such heart and soul, love and strength and truly so much more. The story, inspired by a television show he watched with his grandmother and mother, The Golden Girls, incorporates the values and groundbreaking plots of the past show and wonderfully integrates them into current day dilemmas.

The story is about a group of gay men who found each other, live in Palm Springs, California, share a house named Zsa Zsa while each is trying to pursue their dreams, trying to leave their pasts behind and be there for each other. Sound familiar? They also monthly have a very popular drag queen show called The Golden Gays. But of course, each have come to the house of Zsa Zsa with terrible, sometimes horrific baggage.

Teddy loves his life with men and drink. He owns a consignment store and is the proud creator of The Golden Gays as that was his and his mother’s favorite show to watch when she was dying. Having been exiled from his family at an early age for not being like them, his father tortured him and his sister Trudy basically bullied him and stopped talking to him, he is now living his truest life. Until an unfortunate situation occurs.

Barry was actually in the first episode of The Golden Girls. But then they dropped him. He has been chasing the dream ever since. With the help and push of his friends he will continue to audition until he becomes famous or until he dies. Then he actually meets someone who hurt him terribly years ago and he is offered a proposition.

Ron was a devoted Midwest Catholic who keeps his housemates in order. Making sure the house looks decent and everyone is well. He is the heart of Zsa Zsa. But he is still sensitive to and nervous about his lifestyle and tries to stay under the radar. Until someone challenges him.

Finally, there is Leo. Who came out late in life leaving a wife and children (and grandchildren). But Leo has yet to find love or a soulmate. It could possibly be his age, he is in his 80’s, but he will never give up hope that he will somehow meet his one true love. Hopefully.

But when Teddy’s sister Trudy and her teenage granddaughter Ava show up all bets are off as to what will happen to the friends and the impact this visit will have on all of them.

They fight, they love each other, they cry for each other, and they will stand by each other no matter what. That in a nutshell is exactly what friends are for, if you are lucky to have them. That’s What Friends are For is filled with humor, drama, mystery, friendship, sensitivity and love, so much love, with so many lessons to be learned!

Thank you for being a friend to all of your readers Wade Rouse!

Thank you #NetGalley #MiraBooks #WadeRouse #That’sWhatFriendsareFor for the advanced copy.

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy

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Ours Is a Tale of Murder is masterful! The end. What this story encapsulates is not only an amazing thriller but has so many different layers and mysteries and secrets which continue to build into an incredible shocking effect which will blow your mind.

The story begins with the romance of Klara and Troy. How they meet, their relationship and how they marry. Although Klara says yes to marriage it seems to be for all the wrong reasons. Troy on the other hand is obsessed with Klara.

As their relationship progresses, the story turns to the families who live on a cul-de-sac.

We have Mary who lives in sorrow and is grieving for her lost life. She now has to downsize, and she is tortured as she begins to clear out her son’s room. Mary seems to have shame and fear. We don’t know why,

Janet and her husband have witnessed a great deal on the street. Their daughter now married with children lives further away from them. They decide to retire and move closer to her until their older son Henry must move in with them because he has lost his job. Henry has had issues it seems his whole life which have always been swept under the carpet. But now Janet needs him to leave, but Henry has other ideas.

Henry has set his sights on the wife who lives across the street. He watches her from the window, imagines their life together, but has yet to even say hello. Of course, the wife is married…to the husband.

Then a murder occurs on the quiet street.

Just relax and come along for the ride of your life as the story unfolds as we get to peek into the neighbors’ dark secrets, fears, regrets and shame.

Ours Is a Tale of Murder is an intense, can’t put down read which will have you itching to read the last page. But don’t! The story so good, and the ending so unexpected!

Thank you #NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #NoraMurphy #OursIsaTaleofMurder for the advanced copy.

This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman

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This is Not About Us is heartbreaking, uplifting, funny yet painful and sadly, extremely relatable. The story explores the aftermath of a family member’s death and how others cope with their sorrow, some learning and adjusting, others unable to move on or forgive. I bet no one reading this paragraph cannot somehow relate to this family’s situation. This story is powerful.

As the book opens, we discover that one of three sisters, Jeanne is in the hospital dying. We hear her thoughts on other members of the family as well as what she thinks of her two sisters, Syliva and Helen. She can’t let go because she worries. Finally, she lets go not knowing what the future holds for those left behind.

But immediately something goes terribly wrong. Slyvia and Helen have an argument. It was caused by an apple cake. As other members of the family try and get them to understand it’s not really about the cake, both stubborn, they refuse and stop speaking, leaving all those in both families shaken and of course having to take unwanted sides.

As life goes on within the families, we see vignettes through chapters of those caught in the middle as they live life. We hear their thoughts, see their tragedies, feel their divorces, insecurities, worries and troubles. But we also see the good. How they pick themselves up, finally, how they move on, and how worries actually become proud moments. They all seem to look back at Jeanne’s passing in different ways. Except of course for Sylvia and Helen, who just like Jeanne in her last moments, can’t let go. But all their lives move on in different ways, and both families even come together when there is joy. Of course, the death of Jeanne was not the only death of sorts they have all had to deal with throughout the next few years.

This is Not About Us is a poignant forceful relatable story told with humor, sadness but most importantly, with love. Which of course we all can understand.

Thank you #NetGalley #TheDialPress #AllegraGoodman #ThisisNotAboutUs for the advanced copy.

Our Beautiful Mess by Adele Parks

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Our Beautiful Mess is a gripping, messy story about perfectly imperfect families, bad choices, secrets and pasts coming back to haunt them. But don’t worry…it’s a thriller and will have you on the edge of your seat with the ending an out of the park homerun!

Connie and her husband Luke are preparing for their Christmas Holiday. With all three girls coming home, Connie is going to make sure it’s the perfect merry time between now and the New Year. Everything Connie does is perfect. Flora, the eldest is coming in, Fran who is away at college will be there and their youngest, in grade school Sophie of course is looking forward to whatever drama is going to unfold.

But what Connie and Luke had not prepared for was when daughter Fran arrives, she has her boyfriend, unknown to them with her and they discover she is pregnant and keeping the baby. Connie is flabbergasted and doesn’t understand why Fran had not told her. She thought she had not only a great relationship with her girls, but they were comfortable enough to tell her anything and everything…apparently not.

As Connie begins to contemplate how this pregnancy will impact not only Fran and school, but the family, she also can’t get over this feeling that Zac seems a bit familiar. She can’t put her finger on it yet…

This is when the perfect holiday and the perfect family begin to crack. Zac has secrets, Connie figures out who Zac is and the upcoming holiday season becomes a holiday mess like crumbling Christmas cookies!

But Connie is the strong matriarch of the family, and she will do anything in her power to fight for them, no matter what that means. She will not allow her beautiful family to be destroyed.

Our Beautiful Mess is captivating in more ways than one, with many moving parts, but it’s the fight for family and the love and care and the determination to let nobody come between them is the impetus to it all. Family first!

Thank you #NetGalley #ParkRow/HarperCollins #AdeleParks #OurBeautifulMess for the advanced copy.

Out Of The Loop by Katie Siegel

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Out Of The Loop is an interesting story with a unique twist on how to solve a murder/mystery in which the main character has spent the past two years in a time-loop. She doesn’t understand how or why but when a murder occurs at the bookstore near her apartment and the victim lives in said apartment complex as does her friend, a quirky neighbor who becomes the prime suspect, well she feels she must try and use the loop to help him. Intertwined in the plot is a love story, but more important how our heroine learns to empower and figure out how to become an adult.

For two years Amie Teller has been in a time loop, waking each morning and recreating the same day over and over. She visits the local breakfast cafe hoping this time they have her favorite muffin, a woman in the park and the evening always ends with her having dinner with her ex-girlfriend, Ziya whom she still cares about. Then out of the blue she wakes us and is shocked to discover her life is back to normal…well not really normal but close.

She discovers her neighbor who owns the bookshop in the area has been murdered, and the last person she was seen with who was having a yelling match with her was her friend and other neighbor, David. Unfortunately, the police have set their sights on him as the killer.

Now Amie must try and figure out if she saw or heard anything while she was in the time-loop which could give her, David and her ex-girlfriend Ziya who wants to help them some clues as to what was happening prior to the murder. With many suspects, as the bookstore owner was not very well liked, and as the clues begin to add up Amie must figure out what she learned from the past and see where it fits into the present.

Out Of The Loop is a fun, compelling who-dun-it with many moving parts and an extremely engaging mystery!

Thank you #NetGalley #CrookedLaneBooks #KatieSiegel #OutOfTheLoop for the advanced copy.

Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

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Steve Cavanagh is back with his ever-evolving main character Eddie Flynn in a cat and mouse murder mystery with dirty cops, a corrupt prosecutor and a very unstable woman. With so many dark secrets just waiting to be found out, this is truly a can’t stop-won’t stop can’t put down book.

It all starts with Ruby Johnson who is a maid and nanny in a posh Manhattan area. Ruby and her parents were once residence themselves on this same street until they lost it all. Now, thanks to the neighbors who knew her story, she is hired to clean houses and take care of children and then goes home to a small apartment to take care of her ailing mother.

One night as she is walking home, Ruby witnesses a murder in one of these fancy houses. Someone is shot to death. She knows who died. Ruby decides to keep what she knows a secret. You see nobody ever really notices Ruby even when she is in a room with them. Except for the red man in the painting in one of the houses, she works at. He knows her and talks to her.

Meanwhile lawyer, ex-con artist Eddie Flynn tries a slam dunk case in which a few people are not very happy that he won. But he is asked to take the case of John Jackson, the man who allegedly shot and killed the woman in the upper Manhattan area. Unfortunately for Jackson someone called in a tip and the police found the gun in his closet with his fingerprints. Coincidentally he lives across the street from the woman who was killed with his wife and son.

As for Eddie, unfortunately, some people did not like the decision of the case he just tried, and they decide to put a hit on him. So now he is navigating not being killed and trying to get a client not put away for killing someone. Oh, and trying hard not to be seen!

But his ace team is behind him trying to discover who the hitman is and how to correct the situation. As for alleged murderer Jackson, well, all he can do is hope and pray this lawyer will figure out why he was targeted as the killer. Then the trial begins… With so many moving parts and criminals in the area coming out of the woodwork, everyone just hopes this will not be Eddie’s last case.

Witness 8 is masterful in the art of surprise, shock and an I did not see that coming ending. But it also has great, funny dialogue, heart and clever clues. Such a great read!

Thank you #NetGalley #AtriaBooks #SteveCavanagh #Witness8 for the advanced copy,

Remain by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan

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When two famous writers from different artistic arenas come together you are excited to see what blossoms from both of their imaginary minds. Remain is an extraordinary supernatural love story, shocker and mystery all rolled into one exciting read.

Tate Donovan, an architect, has just been released from a psychiatric hospital. Deeply depressed by the passing of his beloved sister, and encouraged by his best friend Oscar, he had checked himself in. Now, finally set free and feeling better he is headed to Cape Cod to repay his friend. He is set to help build the summer house of his friend’s dreams.

As he settles into the bed and breakfast he will be staying at, he meets a beautiful woman named Wren, the owner of the property. As they get to know each other, they discover not only do they have much in common, but they like each other. Tate has never felt this way about any woman he has dated. He is pulled to her in a way he can’t describe. But Wren has a few secrets which Tate needs to figure out. He knows someone hurt her and wants to discover why. And how.

Thus begins a love story for the ages, a haunting mystery and an amazing thriller. It’s a story of insights which needed to be learned, secrets which needed to be exposed, heartbreak and moving on from one’s past.

Remain is a beautiful dark love story, an incredibly imaginative tale which merges genres you can’t imagine ever would be able to come together, but yet when all is said and done is astonishing!

Remain is going to be a motion picture directed of course, by M. Night Shyamalan!

Published by Random House

Cross Your Heart And Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke

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Cross Your Heart And Hope He Dies is a very funny story about murder, romance with a cast of characters who it seems would do anything in their power to kill someone, unbeknownst to each other. With many suspects, a missing manuscript and a dead body how could this story be so entertaining? Well, you’ll see!

A failing publishing company whose only chance at survival is a salacious manuscript, rich, secretive suspects and an editor who will turn over every rock she can to save her job and also unknowingly fall in love, this makes for a terrific plot. Most important, who stole the manuscript? Wouldn’t you like to know!

When rich businessman Warren Ellingham dies suddenly at his own birthday party at his own Pacific Pines Country Club no one is as shocked as Juliette Winters, who was the editor a what was supposed to be his blockbuster tell-all manuscript, although she still had not gotten her hands on it. The cause seemed to be a heart attack, but Juliette isn’t feeling it. To top it all off, the safe where the manuscript was being stored had been opened and no manuscript was in it!

But Juliette is sure someone at the party killed Ellingham and took the manuscript because it was so raunchy, (she hopes)! So, on her own, with the help of two work friends and her very reluctant and annoying not really a friend, Dr. Charlie Hawkins, a heart surgeon, she begins to discover many people hated Ellingham and wanted him dead, and it seems one of them succeeded.

Then unfortunately, another murder occurs and it’s just Juliette’s bad luck that she was at the wrong place at the wrong time and is the prime suspect in this killing! For goodness sake, all she wants is the darn manuscript!

Cross Your Heart And Hope He Dies is a wonderfully funny murder mystery which includes quite the romantic romp with the craziest suspects ever and a very surprising ending. You will truly laugh as you enjoy this can’t put down book…cross my heart!

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #JennyElderMoke #CrossYourHeartAndHopeHeDies for the advanced copy.

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The Fair Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia

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Jessie Garcia, author of The Business Trip has once again written a spellbinding, can’t put down twisted thriller. A who-dun-it with many suspects, all with dark secrets themselves with a wife, husband and niece who try and discreetly solve a murder.

Faith Richards is “the” Detroit television meteorologist. She has a huge fan base, a Facebook page with many followers and her fans even buy jewelry which she wears on air depending on the weather forecast. Needless to say, known as the Fair Weather Friend to her fans she is adored. But unfortunately, not so much at the television station she where she works.

So, when Faith disappears while on her dinner break between broadcasts, everyone at the station is extremely concerned. Then sadly, her body is found the next morning. Who would do this to everybody’s favorite meteorologist? Well, unfortunately, it seems, a few people who work at the station and a few others Faith has deceived in the past. They include:

Tom a co-worker who knows too much about Faith, Linda a producer who doesn’t care for Faith, Matthew the weekend meteorologist who feels he should have been promoted to the weekday spot instead of hiring Faith, Steve, a stalker, Kelly a former college friend of Faith who knows some of Faith’s past dirty secrets.

But fear not! We have super fan Carol, her husband Jim and their niece Olivia who is an intern at the station and was the last person to see Faith alive. They too are on the case along with the police.

But the true question is which one killed Faith and why?

The Fair Weather Friend is a gripping story with surprising secrets, disturbed characters, and of course in Jessie Garcia style a very twisted ending! Watch out…you may never look at your favorite weather person the same!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #JessicaGarcia #TheFairWeatherFriend for the advanced copy.

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