Tag: book-reviews

Ladykiller by Katherine Wood

lisascubby

Ladykiller checks all the boxes for a masterful exciting mystery, suspense story with well-developed characters, so well developed you can’t seem to trust any of them, all with flawed personalities and unsightly behavior. You will gasp as you begin to discover the truth which was hidden right in front of your eyes!

When Gia invites her best friend Abby to Sweden to meet her new husband Garrett, someone Gia met and married weeks after the death of her father and someone Abby feels perhaps is not right for her friend, she decides not to go. Although she adores Gia, she just isn’t ready for this next chapter in Gia’s life. But, when Abby discovers Gia’s brother, Benny has been invited and is going as well, that changes her mind. You see Abby and Benny have had crushes on each other since childhood.

Gia, who is a writer, is in Greece at the moment with her new husband trying to get the family estate in order and fixed up. Thier father when he died left nothing to his children and Gia although she thinks she married well, has never been one to not spend and is comfortable living the life of the rich and famous. Her plan is to fix up the estate sell it and bank the cash to live on for herself.

While in Greece, Gia begins a second manuscript. This is a memoir about her life in Greece fixing up the place, being with her new husband as well as other tidbits of the goings on in her life with a bit of flirty embellishment (those type of books sell better) including Gia and Garrett meeting a couple while dining and discovering their boat broke down and are awaiting for it to be fixed but there is nowhere for them to stay. Gia immediately invites them to stay at the estate, hoping for some excitement for her book. But unfortunately, what actually happens as the reader discovers through chapters of the manuscript is how the cracks begin to show in not only her marriage, but with this young couple staying there.

Meanwhile, Abby is getting ready to leave for Sweden when she receives an ominous email. Someone has sent her a prompt or threat, she’s not sure about a past situation. They say they know Abby lied. Abby thought that secret had been long buried, and she and Gia were safe.

But when Abby and Benny land in Sweden, there is no Gia. They receive a text allegedly from Gia which says she fell ill. But something is off and the two decide to go to Greece and see Gia. But what they find is a mystery. Nothing. No Gia, no husband, only her manuscript.

Abby starts to read the story, which of course the reader already knows, or think they do, and the mystery of what happened at the house only deepens. But not everything is as it seems and with the discovery of hidden secrets, unmistakable clues and lies, so many lies, it all begins falling into place which makes for a shocking ending.

Ladykiller was quite the killer of a book!

Thank you #Bantam #NetGalley #KatherineWood #Ladykiller for the advanced copy.

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

lisascubby

What on earth do you do when your college English professor gets you pregnant at the young age of twenty, then leaves you high and dry because of course he is married and has children, and you can in no way afford the cost of a baby as you can’t afford the cost of yourself? You can’t ask your dysfunctional divorced parents for help, that’s for sure. In this absolutely hysterical, heartwarming, very unconventional story, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, creativity becomes the key! To everything!

Margo decides to have the baby and now she has very serious money issues. The father will have nothing to do with her, and she gets fired from her job at Hooters because she needs to breastfeed and take the newborn, Bodhi with her to work because she cannot afford childcare. But…it’s a Hooters!

Where are her parents you may ask? Well, her mother has found a boyfriend who is very religious, and she hopes to make him her husband, so she’s out, as well as the fact that her mother really didn’t mother her anyway. Her father is a former famous wrestler who has just gotten out of rehab for the hundredth time, and she is not close to anyway seems like a very unlikely choice, and when two of her three roommates move out, she is just plain out of luck.

That’s when her dad, Jinx, comes knocking at her door because he needs a place to stay and promises he will stay clean for room and board and babysitting. Well, that sounds great to Margo. With one problem solved, she now needs to figure out how to make some money and fast.

When someone mentions a new platform called Only Fans where you create a profile (fake) and they pay to see and hear what you want to put out there, Margo hesitates, for about a minute and decides this would be a good way to be able to stay with her baby and make money at the same time. And make money she does! Of course, she tells no one, especially her parents about her new venture.

She suddenly realizes she’s good at this gig. She even comes up with another idea and teams up with a couple of influencers and that takes off as well! Although not really accepted practice she even begins to crush on one of her “clients”, but the good thing about hiding behind a fake persona is you can fake it till you make it, and they have no idea!

She’s managing it all, taking care of Bohdi, working, making money and spending time with her dad until it all comes crashing down around her. Suddenly the State wants to take her baby away because of her job. But this job is not only making her money but helping her support her son in more ways than she ever thought she would be able.

If she leaves her job, they won’t take her son, but then she won’t be able to afford what he needs. How can they do this? Why are they doing this? She needs a new plan. And boy does she get even more creative!

Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a laugh out loud story about a young naive woman, who took on the system, not knowing much, but knowing no one, absolutely no one was going to take her baby away from her. But the story is much more than just about a determined woman. It’s about heartbreak, feeling you are worth nothing, disappointment in yourself as well as others, but realizing if you find the right community, anything and everything is possible.

And even better news Apple+ is going to do a series and Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer will star! Can’t wait!

Thank you #Goodreads #WillamMorrow #RufiThorpe #Margo’sGodMoneyTroubles for the advanced copy.

What’s in a Kiss? by Lauren Kate

lisascubby

What’s in a Kiss? is a captivating, funny enchanting story about a woman whose future was extremely promising, until it suddenly took a horrible turn. As she prepares to marry off her best friend since childhood and see the handsome crush she almost but did not kiss back in high school, who is now famous, she begins to feel she has nothing to show for her life since her promising high school years. For her, she’s never been able to get past the “what-if’s” and that kiss that never happened.

Liv is a Lyft driver who lives in the same place she grew up. She lives with the love of her life…her dog, Graham Parsons. Her best friend Masha is still the best friend she had when she was in kindergarten, and her mother is the love of her life. She feels content, well sort of.

The reality is during high school she had a promising future as an actress. She had been accepted to Julliard and was looking forward to the move to New York. Unfortunately, something devastating happened and that ended her dreams and she chose to stay with her mother and her best friend.

So although she is excited that her best friend is getting married and she is the maid of honor, she begins to relive her past as well as the crush she had on one Jake who is the best man in the same wedding, who is a famous podcaster and of course, dating a model. She’s not jealous! She always regrets that she had that one chance at prom to kiss him, but for some reason it never happened. But she still carries this with her even in the present.

So, when she picks up a fare and it’s Jake, their meeting does not go very well. She’s embarrassed and he’s just plain obnoxious. How she’s going to be able to put up with him in the next few days is beyond her.

But, something happens during the wedding ceremony which changes her life…literally…as Masha and her fiancé are about to say I Do, Liv catches Jake’s eye and her head begins to spin, and she thinks she’s going to faint. She comes out of this trance in a very different reality!

In this new reality, Liv is a popular actress, living in a mansion, Masha refuses to talk to her, her mother is not in her life and acts as if she hates her and oh, she married to Jake! As for Jake, he adores her and is the opposite of what he was in high school. He is so supportive, handsome and puts her career first. Clearly in this reality that prom kiss did happen…but what happened after that??

Although Liv enjoys being with Jake, she needs to go back. She wants Masha to be her best friend again and of course she wants her mother to love her again. But going back will mean she loses Jake.

What should she do?

What’s in a Kiss? is a hilarious, heartwarming and romantic story. Wouldn’t we all want a do-over about something from our past if we could?

Thank you #NetGalley #G.P.Putnam’sSons #LaurenKate #What’sinaKiss? for the advanced copy.

Peg And Rose Play The Ponies by Laurien Berenson

lisascubby

Peg And Rose Play The Ponies is the third book in this adorable senior sleuth mystery series. Peg and Rose venture out of their comfy, cozy town and head together with Peg’s poodle Hope to Kentucky to sell Peg’s mare. Who knew Peg owned a horse? Along for the drive, Rose will try continuing to bury the strained relationship she has with her sister-in-law Peg, as well as learn way too much about horse breeding and then of course, there’s a murder…

When the women finally arrive at Six Oaks Farm after a harrowing, joyless drive being together for one too many days, they both settle into the hotel then go to visit Peg’s mare. But unfortunately, their first interaction with the yearling manager, Jim Gable leaves them both less enthusiastic due to his being not very nice, and downright rude behavior at the meeting!

But they certainly don’t find enough time to even discuss Jim’s anger issues when they discover that night on the news that he has died. At first deemed an accident, the women are approached by one of the workers named Lucia who discovers she is the prime suspect of his now declared murder. Although Six Oaks is trying its best to keep that bit of information under wraps. Yes, she had a difficult relationship with the man, but she in no way had anything to do with killing him.

Of course, the women agree to help her and begin their instinctive snooping and asking questions. Being their age sometimes it’s very easy to discover clues while just sitting on a bench, as the elders seem for some reason to go unnoticed. But in doing so, they soon discover that Six Oaks is not entirely the greatest place to work. Not only that but between shenanigans and missing equipment, the list of suspects soon seems to grow.

As always Peg and Rose will use their charm and wit to discover whose “horsing around” and what could possibly have led to the murder. Peg And Rose Play The Ponies is another captivatingly sweet cozy mystery!

Thank you #NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #LaurienBenson #PegAndRosePlayThePonies for the advanced copy.

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

lisascubby

Husbands & Lovers is an intriguing book which tells the stories of two women from different periods of time, both ironically dealing with similar issues. The book’s appeal is as the two stories begin to intertwine, the reader starts to understand the connections these two women have as well as the pain and suffering they have both been through which wonderfully creates two sadly beautiful stories in one.

Mallory Dunne is a single parent. Her son’s name is Sam. She has never, ever revealed who is his father. The year is 2022 and Mallory and Sam experience every parent’s nightmare. Something happens to Sam. It’s very bad.

Meanwhile, Hannah Ainsworth is in Cairo. The year 1955. Married to a wealthy man she dislikes, but having been born in Hungary and fled there, has no choice but to continue in the marriage. She meets and falls in love with the worker of the hotel they are staying, named Lucien. He’s very secretive but impossibly charming. He changes her life forever.

Mallory, who is barely making ends meet, decides to go on vacation with her sister Paige where they had spent many happy years. Never having told anybody who the father of Sam was, is shocked that he is actually there as well. He is a superstar musician now, and is there planning his wedding.

Hannah wants nothing more than to have a child, something she tells her lover Lucien. Before she fled Hungary, she had the perfect life and lost it all. When she gets pregnant, she tells her husband it is his. He doesn’t believe her and banishes her just as the city of Cairo is being burned down. Somehow Hannah must find her way out.

Mallory sees instantly that Monk knows he is Sam’s father and now must begin to make very difficult choices. Does he let him into Sam’s life? Does she answer his questions as to why she left so suddenly when they were so in love?

But the most wonderful mystery which is encompassed by both stories is a bracelet which was passed down from who? and left for Mallory’s mother and after she died was given to Mallory. But why Mallory? Her mother was closer to her sister. What does this bracelet have to do with their family?

As all the moving parts come together in Husbands & Lovers it will tell the wondrous story of hidden love, loss and privilege and so many secrets. Some of them lurk in the dark corners hoping to never be revealed while some look innocent but are more than one person care bear. The stories in the book are both spellbinding, and you will be amazed at the connections which these women and the men they have chosen to fall in love with.

Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #BeatrizWilliams #Husbands&Lovers for the advanced copy.

Love Letters To A Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

lisascubby

Have you ever wondered what would prompt someone, particularly a woman to fall madly in love with a person who has murdered multiple people, especially multiple women? Well, let me tell you, in this psychological murder thriller, although fictional, tries to explain/answer just that question.

Love Letters To A Serial Killer is a fascinating demonstration of a woman, Hannah, who is in her 30’s who was dumped by her boyfriend, which she naively saw no signs of happening, who lives a very lonely life, working a job she is good at but dislikes, whose friends all seem to be marrying or in relationships who decides to begin writing letters to a man named William, a lawyer who is incarcerated for allegedly murdering women. A serial killer.

At first the letters from Hannah to William are about how disgusted she is at what he did. But, to her shock and excitement, when he answers her letter, she sends another and another until they become “friends”? Hannah knows deep down he will never get out of jail for the horrendous acts he committed, but that doesn’t stop her from communicating with him. Even begin to have feelings for him.

She soon becomes obsessed with everything William, so much so that her work is affected and she gets fired. It is then that she decides to travel to Georgia, even though she can’t really afford it and sit in the courtroom of the trial and “support”? this murderer. Thus begins the portion of the story of one woman’s obsession and just how far someone is willing to go to get what they crave.

As Hannah watches from the courtroom, along with two other “fans of William”, she becomes fascinated with his wealthy family who go to court every day. She begins to follow them. And that is when her life goes from bizarre to dangerous.

Love Letters To A Serial Killer is an engrossing story in which we watch Hannah grow in so many ways, one being she will never truly get what she thinks she wants which is for William to make her one of his victims. But why does she want this? Is she just as broken as he? This is a can’t look away, can’t put it down book with so many levels to it…desperation, sadness, killing, but in the end, a woman changed.

Thank you #NetGalley #Berkley #TashaCoryell #LoveLettersToASerialKiller for the advanced copy.

The Hazlebourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

lisascubby

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

lisascubby

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

lisascubby

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

Love, Lies and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau

lisascubby

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.