Tag: book-reviews

Love Letters To A Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

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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

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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

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.

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon

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Love You, Mean It is an adorable rom-com story with a wonderful plot, relatable characters and an inspiring ending which is, no spoilers… happy and satisfying!

Ellie Greco works at her family’s place of business, Greco’s Deli. This was never her plan. She had been going to college to become a clothing designer but felt obligated to abandon her dream when her dad died, and she had to come home to take over for him. So, she put her own ambitions aside to help her family navigate this sad situation.

But suddenly she discovers her family business could be in danger. A huge chain gourmet store called Mangia is trying to move into a building very close to the Greco Deli. If this does happen, they will never be able to compete with them. As they try to consider their next move, her sister mentions Theo Taylor, a boy her sister had dated back in college whose father owns the building. She suggests perhaps Ellie plead her case with him.

Enter Theo who Ellie takes a dislike to immediately. Theo comes from a very wealthy family whose father is not very liked. But he’s the property owner of the building and she will do anything to salvage their life’s work.

At Ellie and Theo’s first meeting which does not go very well, something occurs which leads Theo to end up in the hospital. Ellie feels terrible and decides she needs to stay with Theo in order to make sure he’s okay. She tells all the hospital personnel that she is his fiancé. Theo wakes up and for a while does actually believe she is his finance.

But, after his recovery, he and Ellie decide to continue the charade in hopes that Theo’s father, thinking they are getting married and will become part of the family will do the right thing and cancel the deal.

But, of course, that’s not what happens, and Ellie and Theo find themselves in this awkward situation of having to pretend. Or…gulp…are they pretending? Humorous chaos ensues and they will certainly discover more about each other than they ever imagined.

Love You, Mean It is a lighthearted, uplifting read with wonderful messages about how life can change in an instant, but perhaps by believing in yourself you never have to let your dreams die.

Thank you #NetGalley #Dell #LoveYou,MeanIt #JillyGagnon for the advanced copy.

All’s Fair in Love and War by Virginia Heath

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All’s Fair in Love and War is the first installment in a new series, Miss Prentice’s Protegees. An adorable, funny, heartwarming story about a young governess who is too outspoken to get a job after her training, and the gruff naval captain who has suddenly been charged with taking care of his sister’s children and their large pet dog. The story, quite appealing, charming, romantic and adventurous tries to prove single women back in the day could hold their own against any man. And do so comically.

Georgia Rowe has just completed her training as a governess at Mis Prentice’s School for Young Ladies, but she can’t seem to get a job, unlike all her friends who she met at the school. You see, Georgia just doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut when future employees begin to interview her. She has been told she seems to intimidate those who are questioning her.

Harry Kincaid is a no-nonsense former Navy man who lives alone. He likes his quiet and peace. But when he arrives back to his house, he discovers his sister has dumped her three young children on his doorstep while she and her husband decided to go on a trip to Egypt. Felix is the oldest, Marianne the middle child and Grace the youngest. And oh, did I mention their puppy Norbert who is larger than all three children?

So, after a few horribly exhausting days, Harry decides he can’t do this, so he decides to seek out a governess for the duration of his sister’s trip. And that is when Harry and Georgia’s fate is sealed.

But their relationship certainly does not start off well. Harry does not appreciate Georgia’s teaching style or methods which are filled with outdoor amusement, laughter and curiosity. His idea of school is a classroom indoors with learning its only purpose and absolutely no dog tagging along for the lessons! No matter how much Norbert dislikes being alone and barks!

As they agree to disagree on just about everything, the one thing they both seem to notice is each other. But both realize pretty much from the get-go that a relationship could never work out. Right?

As they attempt to base their relationship on the children, they become even more enamored with each other. Georgia can’t see this ending well and Harry has too much baggage from his past. But All is Fair in Love and War, right? And there is a great deal of both in this wonderfully, light enjoyable read.

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sGriffin #VirginiaHeath #All’sFairinLoveandWar for the advanced copy.

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

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Ruth Reichl has had an amazing career in the food industry. The former editor of the late great Gourmet Magazine, and author of many non-fiction books, has now written a gloriously delightful story in The Paris Novel. It is uplifting, charming and magical and ripe for the picking!

When Stella’s mother Celia dies, she sadly is not very upset. Estranged from her and never having been pleased with her life choices, along with some terrible childhood memories, she barely has any feeling for the woman who raised her. Stella never knew who her father was and quite frankly was embarrassed by her mother’s lifestyle.

So, when Stella receives her inheritance from her mother, a one-way ticket to Paris, she immediately decides this is just Celia trying to control her from the grave. But when Stella’s boss convinces her to try and accept the ticket and maybe live outside of her very strict and routine oriented life, Stella agrees to go.

So as Stella arrives in France and is roaming the streets, she sees finds a vintage shop and sees a black Dior dress. She is somehow mesmerized by it. As she walks in the owner looks at her and say this dress has been waiting for you! And Stella does something she never would have ever done. She tries the dress on and buys it for an extraordinary amount of money. But…there’s something about this dress that makes her feel different.

And with that in mind, she goes to dinner with the dress on and has the most incredible experiences of her life eating oysters and enjoying a meal she never imagined existed. There, she meets an elderly gentleman named Jules who is a wealthy art collector who has lost his wife. He begins to tell her imaginative stories of his and his late wife’s lives. Stella is spellbound. They become friends and Jules begins taking her to place she never imagined going, eating at restaurants she had only heard about and looking at art she witnessed only in books.

Jules introduces her to the owner of a famous bookstore where writer’s and such work there, assist at the shop and sleep and eat for free. He calls then his “tumbleweeds”. There, she meets famous writers including some who knew her mother. She then begins to go down the rabbit whole of her mother’s life and even though she didn’t know she was really searching, discovers answers to questions she never even though about.

The Paris Novel is a one of kind extraordinary read. The reader is taken on a delicious journey of food, art, life and love. The backstory as to why Reichl wrote the book is just as incredible and heartwarming as the story itself.

Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse #RuthReichl #TheParisNovel for the advanced copy.

The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis

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The Main Character is a soap-opera like page turner with secret after secret, mystery after mystery. Its characters, a group of friends and family who are not only flawed, but have underlying problems, some of which have never been spoken about. But a famous train ride will open the flood gates on those unspoken problems, and perhaps turn these pals against each other.

So, let’s begin:

Ginerva Ex is a best-selling author whose genre is to do a deep dive into someone’s life, interview their friends and family, discover the good the bad and the ugly of the person and create a main character out of their story and write a fictional account of what she has discovered. Unfortunately, her last two books did not sell very well and Ginerva has decided she perhaps needs someone who had already been in the spotlight.

Enter Rory, who was a television news anchor until she was let go recently. Unsure of what she will do next, Ginerva convinces her to be the next main character. Since Rory and Ginerva have had a history, Ginerva would only allow Rory to interview her each time one of her books was coming out, and was offering her an astronomical amount of money, she decides to say yes.

So, after three months of interviews with Ginerva, her brother Max who owns a company trying to create an Alzheimer drug, a condition her father unfortunately has, her best friend Caroline who now works for Max and others in her circle, the book is ready to be published and as a thank you Ginerva has decided to give Rory’s innermost group a vacation of a lifetime. The newly renovated Orient Express train is doing an Italian trip with stops.

But when the group finally gets together to board the train, she is shocked to see her ex-fiancé, Nate among the cast of characters. Confused and angry, she stuffs her feelings and tries to go with the flow and enjoy this incredible opportunity. What no one knows is Ginerva has planned this trip to expose all the dark secrets she has found that were hidden. She too has an agenda for this group.

Suddenly problems begin to occur. Rory is almost killed by a bolder, the book being published which they were all given copies all disappear, and the group begins to fight with each other.

But Rory finds a copy of the book and begins to read it. And she is stunned. What she begins to understand is that the no one is really who they say they are. This group of best friends since childhood have so many hidden agendas. What does she do now?

And then she discovers Ginerva’s hidden agenda… and her whole world explodes in front of her.

The Main Character is a juicy complex thriller with hidden secrets, unknown personality flaws and puzzles from the past that when pieced together will shock and astound. Trust me, it’s truly a killer of a book!

Thank you #Goodreads #Atria/EmilyBestlerBooks/TheMainCharacter#JaclynGoldis for the advanced copy.

A Murder Most French by Colleen Cambridge

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A Murder Most French is a delicious addition to the Tabitha Knight/Julia Child imaginative murder mystery series. The second to be exact, and hopefully not the last. The series revolves around a young American chef in training who becomes friends with the not yet too famous Julia Child, and they find themselves in extraordinary dangerous predicaments which they along with an eclectic funny cast try to assist the police in solving. All the while, Tabitha’s mentor, Julia, helps to teach her student how to cook mouthwatering dishes which the reader is fortunate enough to glimpse.

As the story opens, we find Tabitha and Julia at the French outdoor market buying ingredients for Tabitha’s dinner which she will prepare (hopefully correctly) for her Oncle Rafe and Grand-Pere whom she lives with while living in France.

When Julia invites Tabitha to the Cordon Bleu Cooking School where Julia is studying to watch a presentation on wine, never in either of their wildest dreams did they imagine they would witness a premiere chef open a very old, expensive bottle of wine, take a sip and drop dead!

Unfortunately, the bottle had been given to Tabitha to give to the chef by a young street boy. It was sealed and had a tag on it. But when the police arrive and confiscate the bottle, Tabitha realizes the label is missing. Why?

Of course, Tabitha becomes a suspect along with everyone else in the room and decides she must poke around to see how this could have happened. And of course, her detective frenemy tells her to stay out of it! And then a second chef is killed in the exact same way only this time the tag is still on the bottle. Finally, a clue! But what does it mean?

As Tabitha and Julia go down Alice’s rabbit hole of trying to figure out just what is happening, they soon learn of tunnels under the restaurants which store vintage and expensive wines brought over by the German during the war. Could this be a clue?

As Tabitha takes the reigns and Julia cooks the meals, Tabitha, against the advice of the lead detective with whom she has a love-hate-love relationship with finds herself in a dangerous situation as she discovers the killer is on to her.

A Murder Most French is a wonderfully humorous story with a delightful plot, scrumptious recipes (which are from Julia Child) and of course, a surprise ending. As I wrote when I reviewed the first book in the series, Mastering the Art of French Murder, as you read, please hear Julia’s words as you know she would say them. It makes the story even better!

Thank you #NetGalley #Kensington #ColleenCambridge #AMurderMost French for the advanced copy.