The Neighbors Are Watching by Aggie Blum Thompson

lisascubby

Do you look out your window when you hear a car? or when you smell smoke? Well, in this very juicy, gossipy psychological murder/mystery thriller, The Neighbors Are Watching, everyone in this affluent neighborhood seems to know exactly what everyone is up to. Except some neighbors seem to be kept out of the loop for reasons unknown to the reader. Also, this neighborhood had a murder last year…a robbery gone bad, but again no one wants to talk about that either. Pretending seems to be the first rule of the game…

Caren is at a graduation party of her daughter’s ex friend at the lavish house of neighbors she’s supposed to like in their Eastbrook, Bethesda fancy neighborhood. Why is she there? For appearance’s sake probably. She doesn’t quite like them. They have become unbearable since they have come into more money than they will ever know what to do with. And of course, for what they did to her daughter…

She on the other hand is in the middle of a sort of mid-life crisis. Nearing 50, not really working much at all, and soon to be an empty nester she and her husband Miguel are coming off one of the worst years of their lives. Their daughter Rachel got into some trouble and went to finish high school elsewhere.

So, as Caren is walking home, thinking about her problems she somehow becomes dizzy and blacks out. A kind stranger named Finn finds her early the next morning. Pretty banged up she has no recollection of what happened. The neighbors, of course all think she drank too much. But she knows she stopped drinking too much a while ago. She thinks someone put something in her drink…but why?

She insists the police are called. They discover a bottle of wine and food in her trash. She knows she did not eat or drink anything at home the night before. What is happening to her? Miguel doesn’t even seem to believe her story.

Then she discovers that a bracelet that has been put up on the website of the annual neighborhood yard sale was an item stolen from one of the neighbors. She also discovers the young man who found her, Finn was friends with the young nanny who was killed in the burglary gone bad last year and he too is looking for answers.

Caren and Finn decide to work together to see if any pieces of this mysterious puzzle fit together. Unfortunately, what they will discover and be shocked at are the sinister secrets and a dark underground that exists with some neighbors.

Can you keep a secret? That’s the starting point for the ride of your life in this stellar story; The Neighbors Are Watching. The ending such a surprise!

Thank you #Net’Galley #MinotaurBooks #AggieBlumThompson #TheNeighborsAreWatching for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: The Neighbors Are Watching: 9781250412553: Thompson, Aggie Blum: Books

Edit Review – The Neighbors Are Watching | Goodreads

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams

lisascubby

When You Loved Me is not just one, but two amazing love stories about two very strong women. Separated by centuries, yet intertwined by sorrow, death, mystery and most important forgiveness and love the story will grab your heart from the first page.

Lucy Cooper comes home from England with her young daughter Elise to unfortunately bury her father and settle his estate. As she looks over the dilapidated mansion she use to call home, she herself a recent widow can hardly believe her father is gone. She is also shocked at the way he died. By going into the ocean near their home on Winthrop Island and never coming out.

For her whole life, her father had been obsessed with a story passed down about a buried hidden pirate treasure somewhere on the land of their estate. He was so preoccupied he let everything in his life come second. The reason Lucy’s mother left him, and they both moved to England. But she was lucky. She got to spend summers with him and for that she will be forever grateful.

After the funeral, Lucy discovers her father was in debt. So much so there is no way she can pay it off, let alone be able to fix everything in the house which needs to be taken care of before she perhaps must sell. She understands his passion was this absurd pirate treasure and that is what he deemed most important. For years all she kept hearing was he was so close to the discovery.

But Lucy is also out of sorts as she has discovered her first love, Ben Ressler is living on the property of her ex best friend Laura Peabody. She thought he was going into football. The last she saw him was actually the worst heartbreak of her life other than the killing of her daughter’s father.

Then there is her brilliant young daughter who has spunk and speaks her mind. She truly believes the pirate story and has herself fallen in love with their neighbor, Ben Ressler much to Lucy’s chagrin.

But not everything is as it seems. A missing laptop, a fire in the house, and someone impersonating her. Why?

The other story comes in the form of a diary of a woman from 1717 named Hephzibah and how her family are invaded by pirates and one who is very sick comes to stay with them. And then they must fight a terrible winter called Great Snow of the Storm.

As the two stories become linked, Lucy must grapple with her past, her late father’s life and trying to put her love for Ben to bed, so to speak. And when the past and present finally collide well, that’s for you to dig into!

Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #BeatrizWilliams #WhenYouLovedMe for the advanced copy.

When You Loved Me: A Novel: Williams, Beatriz: 9798217094820: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review – When You Loved Me | Goodreads

Arrivals and Departures by Amanda Eyre Ward

lisascubby

Amanda Eyre Ward’s follow up book to the marvelous The Jetsetters is wonderful! Funny, clever, heartbreaking, warm and yet uplifting, the saga of the Perkins family continues. In the Jetsetters we meet the family as they arrive on a cruise ship and basically air all their dysfunctional dirty laundry.

In Arrivals and Departures, we discover the family once again broken. Daughter Regan is now divorced and living in Greece with her two teenage daughters. Charlotte, their mother is living in a closed community eating cheese and Triscuits while babysitting her infamous daughter Lee who must be watched because she is so depressed she wants to find a way to end her life. And their brother Cord has begun hitting the bottle again much to the chagrin of his boyfriend. Cord now owns a company and is in the process of taking it public and has no time for anything expect perhaps wine. We find them all separated from each other in miles, as well as with each other all dealing with their own lives.

So now you are all caught up except you’re not. Regan has an on-line boyfriend who she has never seen or met who is bleeding her dry. Her children know it’s a scam and keep trying to tell her. She refuses to believe them. So, when they come home and find a note that she has gone to an artsy thing leaving them not only alone but untraceable by her phone they begin to panic. Worse, she doesn’t come back on the day she was supposed to.

They call their grandmother Charlotte, and she sends Lee to Greece. But Lee has decided she will never return to America after they find Regan. Meanwhile Cord’s boyfriend has taken him to a retreat to make him relax and taken his phone. Cord needs to drink so he decides to bust out and go visit his mother Charlotte who is not there as she has now gone to Greece to keep an eye on Lee but also find a lost love.

What could go wrong? Everything!

But as they all try and cope with their problems they all begin to realize just how important they all are to each other. What they truly want for each other is to be happy and content. They each need to learn life lessons in order to all come together as a family who can take care of not only each other, but they have to learn to take care of themselves and their own needs.

Arrivals and Departures is a true family love story as they all finally have the courage to address their pasts, make peace with their faults and become each other’s champions!

Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #AmandaEyreWard #ArrivalsandDepartures for the advanced copy.

Arrivals and Departures: A Novel: Ward, Amanda Eyre: 9780593500323: Amazon.com: Books

Amazon.com: The Jetsetters: A Novel: 9780399181894: Eyre Ward, Amanda: Books

Edit Review – Arrivals and Departures: A Novel | Goodreads

Come Undone by Eddie Huang

lisascubby

I’m beginning to believe Eddie Huang can do it all! He wrote a book years ago called Fresh Off the Boat which chronicled his crazy family life growing up. This became a hit TV series. He also had a show on Vice TV called Huang’s World in which he traveled all over the world looking at countries people and food. If that wasn’t enough, he also owns and is the chef in a restaurant called Bao Haus in New York City and get this…he’s only in his forties!

Come Undone is an extraordinary satirical look into the life of someone who you think must have it all, but in reality, his childhood and adulthood have begun to merge, and he realizes his fear of commitment just might be his downfall.

Ready to settle down, Hubie is rich, loves his freedom and loves to get laid. The problem seems to be that when the relationship begins to progress, Hubie panics, finds reasons to let go and then regrets his decisions no matter how hard he tries. Of course, his friends are always there to pick him up!

Until he meets Anastasia, a woman who seems to have quite the laze faire attitude, just as he does. She loves to enjoy life, travel and sex. And she has never been able to commit to a life of monogamy. Sound familiar?

But as they get to know each other and delve deeper into the reasons for their fear of “commitment” in their own ways, and suddenly when a crisis occurs, Hubie seems to begin to discover what he has been holding him back for all these years. Now he must somehow find the courage to face his past and recognize that the future he wants is right in front of him.

Come Undone is funny, heartbreaking yet heartwarmingly beautiful. Is this part memoir/part fiction? I really don’t know. I am happy he wrote it as Huang certainly poured his own heart and soul into this sharp and clever story!

Thank you #NetGalley #OneWorld #EddieHuang #ComeUndone for the advanced copy.

Come Undone: A Novel: Huang, Eddie: 9780399591907: Amazon.com: Books

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/241715934-come-undone

.

Somebody Worth Killing by Jessica Payne

lisascubby

Welcome to the world of the coolest assassin ever! She’s smart, funny, can multi-task, and oh, she’s married, with two little girls and belongs to the PTO club. I said she was able to multi-task! Somebody Worth Killing is a seriously hilarious, smart story with thrills that will give you chills, about a normal mom and wife who adores her family but has a secret. Her passion in life is killing people who have done something wrong, like stolen from the elderly, or scrimps on medications to people who really need it, etc. Of course, no one knows what she really does for a living, except her handler, and another assassin, a male who have known each other for years. But when she decides she wants a job more like what the men get, with way more money well, be careful what you wish for!

Nadia Davis is a suburban mom happily married to Brian who is a management consultant. But, when her family goes to bed, she opens up a secret room in the bouse and becomes “the assassin”. And she’s very good at her job. Ever since in high school when she discovered her sister was being abused by her boyfriend and she well, made sure he could never do that to anyone again, the urge has never left. Is she a psychopath? Probably. But the apple does not fall far from the tree…she and her grandmother seem to think alike.

But after her latest kill she is talking to her male assassin friend only to discover that some of the men assassins are paid much better than she. What? So, she places a call to her handler and through very secret channels gets a hit on someone. Now she’s really in the big leagues! Although from the start this hit is different. She must figure out a poem in order to find the bad guy. Wow he must be really terrible!

Then she finally figures out where he is and when she sees him as he is getting out of the car with another woman and she’s all set to do her job he moves a certain way and… oh dear God…it’s her husband! This is impossible! Brian has a nine to five job. Yes, sometimes he travels, like he is supposed to be right now, but seriously?

So now, Nadia must figure out why Brian has a hit on him and what on earth bad things he has been doing. In the process she must evaluate the situation, her life as she knows it and her life if and when she has to kill her husband.

Somebody Worth Killing is such a fun read with wonderful twists and turns. Yes, there is an intensity, but the story is filled with so much mystery, surprise and shockingly a whole lot of love!

Thank you #NetGalley #Berkley #SomebodyWorthKilling #JessicaPayne for the advanced copy.

Somebody Worth Killing: Payne, Jessica: 9780593954706: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review – Somebody Worth Killing | Goodreads

Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

lisascubby

Grab your beach chair, cooler and towel. Go sit near the ocean and get ready for the read of your life! Two thrillers for the price of one in this incredibly suspenseful, story, Beach Thriller! Part mystery, part nail biter this has it all! With twists you will not see coming, and so many secrets and lies your head will spin. Told in chapter form by the three main characters, a flailing writer, a runaway teenager and a mysterious watcher who seems to know too much. How much more could you want?

Holly Sinclair is a writer who is going back to Beauport, MA to fix up the home her late mother, dead sister and herself lived in. She did not want to come home because of the memories but with no money and an eviction notice from her apartment, well, she had no choice.

Not only is she anxious about coming home but she knows if she doesn’t come up with a great book idea, she’s going to not only be in trouble with her agent, but she’s so much in debt she will be living on the street. But their house has not been lived in for so long it has become dilapidated, and she has to hire someone to fix it up. But unfortunately, she is still waiting for her mother’s estate to go through probate.

What she did not expect was for someone to take up residence in the attic! Jade is a runaway who has come to the town with a necklace she thinks comes from here. She’s trying to figure out what it’s meaning could possibly be. Jade discovers an unfinished manuscript in the attic Holly had begun years ago. It chronicles what was going on at the time of her sister’s disappearance. This prompts Holly to delve into her sister’s death and begin to ask questions.

Holly takes a liking to Jade and allows her to stay but when Jade gets a job at the powerful Carmichael family mansion, Holly is angered and scared for Jade. This family destroyed her family’s life! Matriarch Maeve Charmichael ruined not only her Holly’s life but put her sister on a path to death! Jade decides to keep working for Maeve and help with a beach party which years ago was held every year and a must attend! For some reason Maeve feels at her age, this may be the last of this type of party she will ever attend.

To Holly that party was the beginning of the end of her sister’s life. Then Jade suddenly disappears and it’s up to Holly, her realtor Gail and local psychic Serena to find out what happened to her. But unfortunately, there have been so many secrets and lies and deceptions throughout the years will they find her in time. Once again, it seems the Carmichael’s are bent on wrecking lives!

Beach thriller will blow your mind! If you love deception, greed and plot twists, this is certainly the book for you! Two incredible mysteries for the price of one! Relax and enjoy! Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #JamieDay #BeachThriller for the advanced copy!

Amazon.com: Beach Thriller: A Novel: 9781250358233: Day, Jamie: Books

Edit Review – Beach Thriller | Goodreads

The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

lisascubby

If you enjoy juicy, gossipy family drama, jealous women, a royal family in turmoil and one very selfish American woman who has turned a whole family upside down well, The Windsor Affair is right for you.

Although historical fiction, Benjamin has researched the story of how the abdication of King Edward VIII came about as well as the uproar caused by his affair with Wallis Simpson, a married American who was already twice divorced. It also gives a glimpse into the longstanding feud between Queen Elizabeth who was married to King George VI after his brother gave up the throne and Wallis Simpson who they basically banished not only from the Royal Family, but from England along with her new husband who now had the title of Duke of Windsor…she was given the title of Dutchess of Windsor but it carried nothing with it. No curtsies or any power.

Make no mistake, in the 1930’s Wallis Simpson wanted to be Queen of England. Make no mistake Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon would never, ever allow it. Thus started a feud between these two strong women which would last until their deaths…or close to one of their deaths.

Elizabeth who was married to The Duke of York disliked Wallis Simpson so much that she would only speak of her as “that woman”. And Wallis did her best to start rumors about Elizaeth and her pedigree and she and Edward nick-named Elizabeth “Cookie”

Everything came to a head when King George dies suddenly, and Edward is thrust into the position of King. He was not ready for the role and perhaps never would be. He was a socializer with no real interest in working. He had also fallen madly in love with Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who was already married. When his brother died, he wanted to marry Wallis and make her the Queen. Needless to say, no one in England wanted that!

But Wallis did desperately want that, and she used every trick to get Edward to get her that job. The one thing she never imagined would happen was that he would abdicate. For her! She was crushed. Not only was she horrified but she was punished. She was told she would never hold a title, nor would anybody curtsy to her. And of course, she blamed Elizabeth who was now Queen because of Edward, and hated Wallis for what she caused the family, and she now certainly had the power to make their lives miserable. And that she did.

You see Edward lost everything (except Wallis) when he abdicated. He had no money, had to leave England and became a nomad of the rich and famous. Even his wedding to Wallis which was supposed to be this grand event only had a few guests because everybody was “busy”. Begging his brother for money to satisfy Wallis’ spending habits became his new job.

Unfortunately, this was the beginning of what everyone thought was this beautiful marriage, but the reality was it was filled with a naive husband, a jealous vindictive wife who was only happy when said husband bought her things with the money for these things he had to beg his brother for. They lived a humiliated life!

The rivalry between Queen Elizabeth and Wallis continued throughout the life of Edward. But it is said that their last correspondence was curious. What really did it mean?

The Windsor Affair is sensational in its stories, but really quite sad. You can’t help but wonder what if Wallis did not insist she become Queen? What if she hadn’t made an enemy of the new Queen? Although Wallis and Edward always looked the part, of being so in love, their lives were far from happy.

Thank you #NetGalley #DelacortePress #MelanieBenjamin #The WindsorAffair for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: The Windsor Affair: A Novel: 9780593497883: Benjamin, Melanie: Books

The Windsor Affair | Goodreads

The One Day You Were My Husband by Rosie Walsh

lisascubby

The One Day You Were My Husband is another terrific psychological thriller from Rosie Walsh. With her adept handling of shocking twists, turns and surprises you will be kept on your toes while reading this amazing story.

Carrie is studying to be a surgical doctor and Johan is a diver. They met when he assisted an injured woman to the hospital Carrie was training at. It was instant attraction for both of them. But in her position, she was unable to date someone who was remotely close to a patient. But Johan made sure she did not forget him!

They end up going on a date and basically never leave each other. Johan sometimes has to go on work trips; Carrie gets anxious as sometimes he is unable to contact her but, in the end, they fall deeply in love. So much so that when they are on a vacation in Thailand, Johan proposes to Carrie even though it has been a few short months into their relationship and Carrie immediately says yes. They decide getting married on the beautiful beach in Thailand would be perfect. Even though no one would be able to come to the wedding.

But what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives ends up being the end of their relationship. While enjoying the food and drink on the beach after the ceremony, a group of officers come down and arrest Johan and take him away. For what? Carrie has no idea! How could this happen. She is confused, then heartbroken after finding out she will never see him again.

Fast forward to a little over a decade later, with the help of therapy and her family Carrie has healed, married a wonderful man named Robin who she knows she is the apple of his eye. They have six-year-old twins, and she has been a stay-at-home mom this whole time.

Carrie though is beginning to miss her job. She wants to get back to doing surgeries. With her husband’s backing she decides to begin the process of going back to work. The first step is going to Stockholm to meet with a former mentor. As she is planning her visit, she comes across a picture of a man living in Stockholm, an architect. The picture is Johan.

Of course, this begins to stir up memories and emotions which she thought had been laid to rest. If he had been released, why had he not gotten in touch with her? Without telling Robin what she has seen she ends up going to Stockholm and to her surprise sees Johan in person where she leaves with more questions than answers.

What happens next will throw Carrie’s life into a turmoil of shocking lies, betrayals, secrets and awful mysteries. You will not only devour this story but enjoy ever last second of The One Day You Were My Husband.

Thank you #NetGalley #PamelaDormanBooks #RosieWalsh #TheOneDayYouWereMyHusband for the advanced copy.

The One Day You Were My Husband: A Novel: Walsh, Rosie: 9798217060450: Amazon.com: Books

The One Day You Were My Husband | Goodreads

A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity by Rachel Linden

lisascubby

Rachel Linden’s latest book A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity is well…just delicious! The story is about a single mother who must come back home to help her ailing parents and keep their fudge shop afloat all the while trying to keep her head above water and not being able to fulfill her own dreams let alone find a companion. But as the women in her family know it’s only when on their birthday, just once they will be given a glimpse of what their future will hold. In her thirties she is still waiting for her vision. Be careful what you wish for!

Emmie had a wonderful life in Paris, just beginning to create a name for herself as a chocolatier until suddenly her world came crashing down. Six years ago, she found out she was pregnant, discovered her father was very ill and her mother could not take care of him and their chocolate store where they served a very special fudge created by her father.

Now, years later her father has passed away, and her mother is now having medical issues, so Emmie has become immersed in taking care of her son Gus who is still mourning the passing of his grandfather, and her mother’s limited ability to help at the store and making all the chocolate.

But her birthday is coming up, and she just hopes this year will be the year she will get her magical vision of her future. All the other women have gotten their visions and what they have seen has come true. But for Emmie the wait is becoming unbearable! She needs a bit of good news!

And this year, well let’s just say she gets the vision of a lifetime! She will be able to make her own chocolates, as well as fall in love with no other than a celebrity. This can’t be real… until said celebrity walks into the shop!

Things seem to be going well until the shop begins to fall apart, literally! She sees an old friend from high school who unfortunately she hurt back then and the building the shop is in now must be upgraded to code which means she needs even more money! With no way near the amount of cash and very little time Emmie feels like her vision was just a magical joke! But she refuses to sell the family business no matter what.

But although Emmie can’t see the light of day yet, she will learn many valuable lessons, and soon she will discover what she wants for her future may not be exactly what was planned for her. What should she do? Who knows better the vision or Emmie? She just wants to find a balance and more importantly some time and happiness!

A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity is an uplifting, adorable, charming, should I actually say it?…sweet story about those who do for so many being able to finally find not only their own voice, but realizing you must be able to take care of yourself before you can attempt to take on those you love so much.

Thank you #NetGalley #Berkley #RachelLinden #ASprinkleofSweetSerendipity for the advance copy.

Amazon.com: A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity: 9780593816660: Linden, Rachel: Books

A Sprinkle of Sweet Serendipity | Goodreads

The Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra Patrick

lisascubby

The Time Hop Coffee Shop is an uplifting dare I say magical, imaginative story! For those of us who wonder or perhaps wish their lives could be different or they had made other decisions years ago, a character actually gets that chance. What if we could get go back? Would we take it? This wonderful novel will give you a glimpse at someone who gets the chance in this truly delightful novel!

Gerta Perks is an actress a bit past her prime. Her whole family including her teenage daughter are famous for their Maple Gold coffee commercials which actually chronicled their lives together. But for years there have been no family commercials and Gerta’s acting career has faltered. Her daughter who Gerta knows is a good actress will have nothing to do with the industry and that seems to be what the two of them fight about each day. And her husband, who still gets worked has moved out of their house so they can make the decision whether to stay married or not. In other words, her life is falling apart.

One day as Gerta once again has failed at her attempt to get her career started again, she finds a flyer on a sidewalk with a bunny logo. It’s directions to a coffee shop she has never heard of. She ends up going. As the owner explains she blends special brews for each client, you drink the coffee and make a wish.

Gerta decides to make the wish that life go back to being simple again when they were just a happy family living together and enjoying each other. Just like the time years ago when they were making Maple Gold commercials.

And just like that, she wakes up in a town called Mapleville where it is always sunny, everyone is friendly and everyone is happy. Oh, and everyone drinks a lot of coffee! As she begins to enjoy her time in Mapleville and to make friends, she hates the fact that she must go back to her reality.

Gerta wants to stay in Mapleville but realizes it’s not her life, but someone else’s. When she gets back to her real life, things seem to be getting worse. More fighting with her daughter and she feels her husband slipping further away.

Now she is given one more chance. Should she stay in Mapleville or stay and fight for the family she is barely hanging on to?

The Time Hop Coffee Shop is an exceptional read with so many lessons to be learned all the while rooting for a family who seems to be coming apart at the seams. There is also an incredible mystery element which I certainly did not see coming!

Park Row

The Time Hop Coffee Shop: A Novel – A Charming Magical Realism Story of Second Chances and New Beginnings: Patrick, Phaedra: 9780778310907: Amazon.com: Books

The Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra Patrick | Goodreads