Month: July 2024

Butter by Asako Yuzuki/Polly Barton

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Based on a true story, this unbelievable, couldn’t make this up plot is deliciously spellbinding!

What happens when a journalist becomes obsessed with a convicted serial killer who is in prison for killing men allegedly with food, and through conversations with said killer discovers the enjoyment of eating, savoring and even cooking exciting dishes? While she decides to entice the criminal into becoming a confidant and get an exclusive interview for her paper, she somehow becomes a changed woman.

But the murderer has different plans as she sends the journalist on an extravagant goose hunt as they play a cat and mouse games as to which one of them will in the end get what they want or perhaps need.

When journalist Rika Machida writes a letter to Manako Kajii who is in prison for murdering men (with food) Rika thinks she is clever. She does not come out and ask for an interview but asks for a recipe to entice Kajii into seeing her. But it gets her into the door. To Rika’s surprise she sees she has been conned by Kajii who tells her not to come back until she has eaten and savored a meal with a particular type of butter.

Rika discovers through Kajii she has a newfound love for food. They start a complicated relationship with Rika trying to insert questions about Kajii’s life and trying to discover the reason Kajii may have killed these men or if she even did. Will Rika ever really know? Or will Kajii continue to feed her morsels of information about her past life.

At some point, Rika begins to not particularly care about the reason as she discovers her life has been changed by Kajii’s food selections. Until something happens. Which changes everything.

Enter the world of Butter and you will discover how food can change a person’s world, personality, career and love-life. With these changes you learn about friends you never knew you had. But will the question of if she killed be answered? Dig into Butter and find out!

Thank you #NetGalley #Ecco #Asako Yuzuki/PollyBarton #Butter for the advanced copy.

The Hazlebourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

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The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is an uplifting, women empowering women story, with a bit of romance thrown in as a group of young women after WW1 decide to take on the men which of course was unheard of at the time and create not only a motorcycle club, but gasp, learn to fly planes. With women during that time who were meant to be seen but not heard, their voices become fodder for the males who cannot seem to deal with their intelligence, stamina and strength.

When Constance Haverhill, the companion of an elderly woman meets Poppy Wirrall a rich socialite who lives at the same luxury hotel Constance is staying, they befriend each other. Constance is searching for a job and Poppy who would prefer having a job takes her under her wing and not only tries to help her but introduces Contance to her motorcycle club which she started for women only.

Socially beneath her, Poppy begins to teach Constance not only about the mechanics of motorcycles but also teaches her to drive one. As Constance becomes friends with group members, she begins to see there is a whole world for women which she knows absolutely nothing about. But it seems to be only for those who can afford it, not for her. She sees these women stand on their own two feet without a man and decides she needs to emulate that behavior.

With a keen sense of math, Constance begins assisting Poppy’s family with bookkeeping as well as befriending Poppy’s brother, Harris who was injured during the war. Constance’s world opens up as Poppy decides to buy a plane and wants Constance to learn to fly it. With Harris’ help, these women begin to outshine the men in the area and that is not good. You see, there are some men who would do anything to make sure these women fail.

But these strong women will take them on even if that means losing their own battle just so they can win their own personal war. Regardless of what anybody thinks.

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club is a story of women during tumultuous times, stepping up, learning lessons, some very hard, having to choose between the love of a challenge and the love of a man. During that period women were told they were basically a piece of property to the men, with no minds and certainly no ambition other than spending money. Boy were they in for a shock!

Thank you #NetGalley #TheDialPress #HelenSimonson #TheHazlebourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club for the advanced copy.

Lovers and Liars by Amanda Eyre Ward

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The truth shall set you free…or will it ruin the most wonderful love stories of their lives? Secrets are never meant to come out…or are they? The burden of the keeper, but also for the who in the dark. Does it matter that they were kept because they loved the person? These are the questions posed and answered in this wonderfully funny, rite of late-life passage story about secrets, lies and loves both lost and found Lovers and Liars.

Sylvie is getting married! After a world-wind romance with a wealthy Englishman named Simon Rampling, she had decided to take the plunge again. Her first husband died tragically in a car accident years ago, and Sylvie has never stopped missing him. Even now, she feels guilty as if she is doing something wrong. But they have so much in common with Sylvie being a librarian and Simon an avid reader. Is this too good to be true? Well, if you ask her sisters they would say absolutely yes!

Her sister Cleo, who lives in New York and is an upscale lawyer has her doubts as well as fears about the situation, although she would never tell her sister. She herself has the boyfriend of anyone’s dreams, and yet for some reason she doesn’t feel very close to him anymore. At least that’s what she tells her best friend of many years, a man who she feels the most comfortable with. When she receives the wedding invitation being held at Simon’s castle, Mumberton, in England, she decides to do a little digging into his life. As any good sister would do. Except Cleo has kept a terrible secret from Sylvie for years so how good a sister is she really?

Sylvie’s other sister Emma has a wonderful husband and two terrific children. She owns a perfume business but carries the burden of a deep secret even her husband does not know. Still living in the small town they grew up in, and unable to forget her miserable childhood as well as being the nearest to their narcissistic mother, puts such a burden on her that all she wants to do is get away from this life! She realizes at some point she cannot hide from her present but also in order to heal stop hiding from her past. This wedding is all too much for her in so many ways. Her secrets will threaten everyone she loves dearly. She’s not sure they can afford to go to the wedding for so many reasons…

As they all reach the final destination for the weekend which is supposed to be the start of Sylvie and Simon’s life, they know they are supposed to be a family, but unfortunately havoc prevails as each of the women’s lives begins to unravel, including Sylvie’s. She’s not sure she can marry Simon. Now seems unfortunately the best time to sort out their secrets and lies and hope all can be forgiven. Will there even be a wedding?

Come along for the most enjoyable ride as the group tries to sort their lives out and become a family. Lovers And Liars is funny, warm and uplifting. RIP Flaco…

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

Mrs. Quinn’s Rise To Fame by Olivia Ford

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Mrs. Quinn’s Rise To Fame is a deliciously, uplifting, warm story about aging, undying love and deep regrets made along life’s road. The power of the story comes from the moral…no matter your age, you can try almost anything and perhaps succeed, and when the time is right, and you have the strength you can perhaps fix the wrongs which have haunted you your whole life. It takes a village and lots of love, butter, flour and sugar!

Jenny and Bernard have been married close to sixty wonderful years. Jenny is in her mid-seventies and Bernardi in his eighties. Never having had any children they are each other’s rocks through thick and thin. Jenny can’t imagine what they would do if they did not have each other. They have had a good life. Always a baker since she was a young child, Jenny’s goodies are the talk of the town. Her creative concoctions and delightful cakes are what most look forward to during any holiday season.

So, when Jenny decides to enter a television baking contest, Britain Bakes, she decides not to tell anyone, not even Bernard as she knows she won’t get picked and no one will ever know. She feels her age is already the first strike against her. That and her horrible breadmaking skills!

But to her shock and amazement she is picked as a contestant. At first, she tries to hide the fact she is on the show by making up excuses as to why she needs to be away, but eventually she must tell Bernard. Still embarrassed, she bakes at home morning and night to try and create new recipes as well as perfect her nemesis…bread.

Along the way, she becomes friends with most of the other contestants and begins to look at this adventure in a totally different light. Could she really win? At her age?

As Jenny goes through the different baking requirements, we begin to learn about her past and how each of the recipes she chooses comes from somewhere deep in her soul, a good or perhaps not so wonderful memory. And also in her thoughts, a deep, dark secret Jenny has kept even from Bernard for their whole marriage. Something she knows he will never understand and will hate her for.

What can of peaches has Jenny opened up? She should have left well enough alone and simply been content with her life as it was. What would happen if her secret came out? Well, Jenny thinks she would lose everything. Is this contest really worth hurting her beloved Bernard?

Mrs. Quinn’s Rise To Fame is a sweet, delightful, delicate cozy story which will have the reader falling in love with Jenny and the rest of the cast of characters.

Published by Pamela Dorman Books

Chloe Baker’s Lost Date by Katie Wicks

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You will thank me after you fall in love with Chloe Baker! She’s an independent woman living in New York making it on her own with a great job. One problem, she can’t seem to find a date. Yes, things could be worse, but boy, she’d love some male compansionship!

So, when her best friend sets her up with Jack, an IT guy and they are supposed to meet at a coffee shop and he’s at first late, then very late but finally breezes in with an apology, they proceed to have coffee and talk and decide to see each other again. Well, again happens sooner than later as they bump into each other immediately that day and end up spending it with each other. They soon realize they not only have a great deal in common, but there is something much deeper going on with them.

But sometimes things come to an end sooner rather than later. After this date which ended with a kiss, Jack just ghosts her. So, with the determination of someone who feels they have lost a soulmate, Chloe decides she must search for him and discover the truth.

She finally does find Jack, but he’s not really who she thought he was. This relationship or non-relationship brings up memories from her childhood and her parents which she had suppressed for quite a while. Of course, she has had insecurities her whole life but thanks to Jack she never knew why. Confusion sets in. And she realizes she has been lied to.

But can they get past their first date and everything which happened later? Is he real? Or is he just another man who enjoys breaking hearts.

Chloe Baker’s Lost Date is a wonderfully funny, uplifting story which will keep you enchanted as they both learn about each other, life and love. Is love at first sight real? Depends on the name…

Thank you #NetGalley #WbyWattpadBooks #KatieWicks #ChloeBaker’sLostLove for the advanced copy.

End of Story by A.J Finn

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A.J. Finn, the author of the New York Times bestseller The Woman in the Window waited six years to give us his second book, End of Story. No comparison can be made between the two. Finn seems to have entered a new realm of mystery thriller. With an undeniable, shocking twist at the end, the book itself is good, but in a curious way. It was a bit confusing, and although the ending was riveting, it took too long to get there. Now I am certainly not saying I disliked the story. It was genius. But perhaps because I enjoyed his first so much, my expectations were just too high.

Nicky Hunter has been the pen pal of Sebastian Trapp, an elderly famous mystery author who lives in seclusion for years. So, when she is invited to his mansion in San Fransico she certainly jumps at the chance. But unfortunately for her the reason for the visit to Trapp is that he has discovered he only has three months to live and wants someone to document the good, the bad and the hidden of his life.

What intrigues the general public and Nicky so much is the fact that twenty years ago on New Year’s Eve, both his wife and teenage son disappeared into thin air, never to be heard from since. The bigger mystery is they were at two different places when the disappearances took place. His wife disappeared from their New Year’s Eve party and his son, while having a sleep over at his cousin’s home.

Of course, gossip has swirled for years as to what happened to them. Did Trapp kill them? Are they buried on the estate? So, Trapp chose to ignore it all and live his life in seclusion with his new wife, Diana, his daughter Madeleine and his very troubled nephew Freddy and his mother.

As Trapp begins to tell Nicky about his life, he seems to not only leave out the important parts, but hint at clues she should try and guess at. She begins to search the house for answers and discovers the diary of Trapp’s missing son. What she learns is very unpleasant. Trapp was not a very nice man. But is he a killer? All this sends Nicky down a rabbit hole of trying to discover what happened.

Just when you think the tension in the house could not get worse, there is a body found in the Koi Pond after a celebratory party. Nicky and Madeleine decide to come together and figure out what is happening. Because you see, it looks to them both that Trapp’s son may have possibly returned. And is leaving clues. What does this all mean?

End of Story is an extremely imaginative who done it, with a slow build, but as I said, the ending is the masterpiece of the story.

Published by William Morrow.

Love, Lies and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau

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From the author of Donut Fall in Love, Jackie Lau has written another wonderful, creative love story which is funny, heartwarming, and mouthwatering!

All Emily Hung’s mother wants is for her over thirty daughter to settle down and finally get married. Forget that Emily is a writer with one published book under her belt. Yes, it perhaps undersold a bit, but still… she is a writer and is working on her second novel. She’s doing great all by herself!

So, when Mrs. Hung plays matchmaker at her sister’s wedding no less, Emily decides to make the meeting as unpleasant as possible.

Enter Mark Chan, the unsuspecting, groom-to-be who realizes fairly soon this was not something Emily had agreed to. They say their goodbyes at the end of the night, and both think they will never see each other again. But Mrs. Hung has other plans! She tortures Emily to go on one date with Mark. Emily agrees.

But, once again, Emily is not having it and comes up with an idea. They will fake date (with pictures) so her mother will think they are together, but in reality, they can live peacefully and continue on with their separate lives.

What ends up happening is that the more time they spend together “fake dating”, the more they discover there may actually be a spark between them, and they begin to fall in love for real. But without realizing it, Mrs. Hung opened a long-closed can of worms with secrets from years ago and misunderstandings in the Hung family.

Now Emily finds herself having to heal old wounds while trying to make Mark understand what she really wants as she learns the importance of family and the importance of finding the person of your dreams. Can you really have it all?

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is a delightful, fun story with wonderful characters and terrific messaging. Oh, and there IS Cherry Pie!

Thank you #NetGalley #Atria/EmilyBestlerBooks #JackieLau #Love,Lies,andCherryPie for the advanced copy.