Jersey Girl Book Reviews

Saturday, July 16, 2022

Weekly Book Mail: 7/10-16/2022

This Week's Book Mail

Harlequin Country Legacy Collection

Friday, July 15, 2022

One Perfect Summer by Brenda Novak (Book Review)

Book Review

One Perfect Summer by Brenda Novak

Publisher: MIRA

Publication Date: April 7, 2020

Format: Paperback - 479 pages

Audiobook - 12 Hours 40 Minutes

Kindle - 1928 KB

Nook - 686 KB

ISBN: 978-0778309468

ASIN (Audiobook): B07XVPM1HM

ASIN (Kindle): B07R71BG48

BNID: 978-1488055454

Genre: Women's Fiction

Buy The Book:

Amazon

Apple iBooks

Audiobook

Barnes & Noble

Books A Million (BAM)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book via NetGalley. I have also purchased a copy of the book from Harlequin Romance & Suspense Combo monthly book subscription.

Book Description:

Some families we’re born into

Some we find for ourselves

When Serenity Alston swabbed her cheek for 23andMe, she joked about uncovering some dark ancestral scandal. The last thing she expected was to discover two half sisters she didn’t know existed. Suddenly, everything about her loving family is drawn into question. And meeting these newfound sisters might be the only way to get answers.

The women decide to dig into the mystery together at Serenity’s family cabin in Lake Tahoe. With Reagan navigating romantic politics at work and Lorelei staring down the collapse of her marriage, all three women are converging at a crossroads in their lives. Before the summer is over, they’ll have to confront the past and determine how to move forward when everything they previously thought to be true was a lie. But any future is easier to face with family by your side.

Book Excerpt: https://a.co/f2xjNvZ

My Book Review:

In One Perfect Summer, author Brenda Novak transports the reader to Lake Tahoe, California, to follow the summer of change for new-found half-sisters Serenity Alston, Reagan Sands, and Lorelei Cipriano.

Serenity Alston is a true-crime writer who took a 23andMe DNA test while doing some research for a book that she was writing. The test results surprised Serenity, it revealed that she has two half-sisters born within two years of each other. Serenity already had her life turned upside down when her ex-husband Sean was sentenced to prison for five years, so the DNA test results just added more stress to her life.

Reagan Sands is an only child and NYC ad executive, who was in love with her married boss Drew, who worked his way through her defenses, and they had a one-time sexual encounter in the office, which led her to stress out about being able to continue working at the ad agency after the indiscretion.

Lorelei Cipriano is a married stay-at-home mom of four year old daughter, Lucy. Lorelei had a rough childhood being shuffled around in foster care in Florida. Lorelei is having martial issues with her husband Mark after finding out that he cheated on her with her best friend, Francine. Mark wants to work through their marital issues, but Lorelei wants to escape from her issues for a bit, before deciding what she wants to do with her marriage.

Serenity, Reagan, and Lorelei plan to meet up at Serenity's family cabin in Lake Tahoe, and figure out the mystery of how they are related. The newly discovered half-sisters are all at a crossroads in their lives, and the summer spent together in Lake Tahoe will take them on a journey that will give them a chance to bond, help them make choices and decisions in their private lives, re-discover themselves, and learn the meaning of love, friendship, family, and moving forward with their lives.

In One Perfect Summer, author Brenda Novak easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, and characters who draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, along with their complexities, flaws, fears, heartaches, heartbreaks, and longheld secrets.

One Perfect Summer is a wonderful story that engages the reader to follow along as this summer of change will bring plenty of drama, emotions, and trials and tribulations for Serenity, Reagan, and Lorelei. Throughout the summer, the half-sisters bond is strengthened as they discover that life is full of humor, heartache, and unexpected second chance at love. As you follow the sisters' journey of figuring out the mystery behind their sisterhood, and dealing with their individual private issues, each of them will rediscover themselves, and you will feel the full gamut of emotions along with them.

The reader will be kept engaged as this heartwarming story unfolds. With a cast of interesting characters, One Perfect Summer is a compelling story about love, friendship, family, and second chances in life.

RATING: 5 STARS

About The Author

It was a shocking experience that jump-started Brenda Novak’s bestselling author career.

“I caught my day-care provider drugging my children with cough syrup and Tylenol to get them to sleep while I was away,” Brenda says. “It was then that I decided that I needed to do something from home.”

However, writing was the last profession she expected to undertake. In fact, Brenda swears she didn’t have a creative bone in her body. In school, math and science were her best subjects, and when it came time to pick a major in college, she chose business.

Abandoning her academic scholarship to Brigham Young University at the age of 20 in order to get married and start a family, Brenda dabbled in commercial real estate, then became a loan officer.

“When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book,” Brenda admits. “I learned how to write by reading what others have written. The best advice for any would-be author: read, read, read….”

Brenda sold her first book, and the rest is history. Now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, she continues to publish two or three novels a year, in a variety of genres.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are the proud parents of five children—three girls and two boys. Now that they are empty-nesters, she spends her free time babysitting her two grandchildren.

When she’s not with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising money for diabetes research. To date, she's raised almost $2.6 million. Her youngest son, Thad, has diabetes, and Brenda is determined to help him and others like him. She also enjoys traveling, watching sporting events and biking--she rides an amazing 20 miles every day!

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery (Book Review)

Book Review

The Friendship List by Susan Mallery

Publisher: HQN (Harlequin)

Publication Date: August 4, 2020 (HC / Kindle) / March 30, 2021 (PB)

Format: Hardcover - 384 pages

Paperback - 384 pages

Audiobook - 10 Hours 19 Minutes

Kindle - 1567 KB

Nook - 591 KB

ISBN (HC): 978-1335136961

ISBN (PB): 978-1335652966
ASIN (Audiobook): B082YDVK66

ASIN (Kindle): B07WYPSZKP
BNID: 978-1488055959
Genre: Women's Fiction

Buy The Book:

Amazon

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book via NetGalley. I also purchased a copy of the book from Harlequin - Summer Reads Collection - monthly book subscription.

Book Description:

Two best friends jump-start their lives in a summer that will change them forever …

Single mom Ellen Fox couldn’t be more content—until she overhears her son saying he can’t go to his dream college because she needs him too much. If she wants him to live his best life, she has to convince him she’s living hers.

So Unity Leandre, her best friend since forever, creates a list of challenges to push Ellen out of her comfort zone. Unity will complete the list, too, but not because she needs to change. What’s wrong with a thirtysomething widow still sleeping in her late husband’s childhood bed?

The Friendship List begins as a way to make others believe they’re just fine. But somewhere between “wear three-inch heels” and “have sex with a gorgeous guy,” Ellen and Unity discover that life is meant to be lived with joy and abandon, in a story filled with humor, heartache and regrettable tattoos.

Book Excerpt: https://a.co/3CRk67j

My Book Review:

In The Friendship List, author Susan Mallery transports the reader to the Pacific Northwest town of Willowbrook, Washington, to follow the summer of change and self-rediscovery for best friends Ellen Fox and Unity Leandre.

Ellen Fox is a single mother and high school teacher. Her seventeen year old son Cooper will be entering his senior year of high school in the fall.

Unity Leandre is a widow and owns a maintenance / handyman business.

Ellen and Unity have been best friends since childhood. Ellen finds out that her son may not go to college even though he wants to got to UCLA on a partial wrestling scholarship because he's worried about the money and leaving his mom alone, Ellen knows that she has to do something about it. Ellen talks to Unity and they come up with a plan they call The Friendship List, where they make a pact to challenge each other throughout the summer to step out of their comfort zone and make changes in their lives. Ellen is determined to convince Cooper that she does have a life, and will be fine while he chases his dreams in college. Meanwhile, Unity has been stuck in a perpetual grief for three years since losing her husband Stuart, and needs to get out of her rut and move forward with her life. What ensues is a summer of change for Ellen and Unity, as they accept the challenge of The Friendship List, and rediscover themselves, and learn the meaning of love, friendship, family and moving forward with their lives.

In The Friendship List, author Susan Mallery easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, and characters who draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, along with their complexities, flaws, fears, heartaches, heartbreaks, and longheld secrets.

The Friendship List is a wonderful story that engages the reader to follow along as this summer of change will bring plenty of drama, emotions, and trials and tribulations, as Ellen and Unity are determined to complete The Frienship List. Throughout the summer, Ellen and Unity's bond of friendship is strengthened as they discover that life is full of humor, heartache, and an unexpected second chance at love. I loved the strong friendship between Ellen and Unity, as you follow their journey of rediscovering themselves, you will feel the full gamut of emotions along with them.

The reader will be kept engaged as this heartwarming story unfolds. With a cast of interesting characters, The Friendship List is a compelling story about love, friendship, family, and second chances in life.

RATING: 5 STARS

About The Author

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations," and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.

Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She's passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the ragdoll cat and adorable poodle who think of her as mom.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner (Book Review)

Book Review

Drawing Home by Jamie Brenner

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Format: Hardcover - 358 pages

Paperback - 384 pages

Audiobook - 12 Hours

Kindle - 1870 KB

Nook - 3 MB

ISBN (HC): 978-0316476799

ISBN (PB): 978-0316476829
ASIN (Audiobook): B07R111244

ASIN (Kindle): B07H2D3778
BNID: 978-0316476812

Genre: Women's Fiction

Buy The Book:

Amazon

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book via NetGalley, and also purchased a copy via Bookcase Club monthly book club subscription.

Book Description:

An unexpected inheritance, a promise broken, and four lives changed forever: discover "the gold standard of summertime escapism" from USA Today bestselling author Jamie Brenner (Elin Hilderbrand).

Summer has started in idyllic Sag Harbor, and for Emma Mapson that means greeting guests at the front desk of The American Hotel. But when one of the town's most famous residents, artist Henry Wyatt, dies suddenly, Emma learns he has mysteriously left his waterfront home -- a self-designed masterpiece filled with his work -- to her teenage daughter, Penny.

Back in Manhattan, legendary art patron Bea Winstead's grief at her lifelong friend and former business partner Henry's passing turns to outrage at the news of his shocking bequest. How did these unknown locals get their hands on the estate? Bea, with her devoted assistant Kyle in tow, descends on Sag Harbor determined to reclaim the house and preserve Henry's legacy.

While Emma fights to defend her daughter's inheritance, Bea discovers that Henry left a treasure trove of sketches scattered around town. With Penny's reluctant help, Bea pieces them together to find a story hidden in plain sight: an illustration of their shared history with an unexpected twist that will change all of their lives. Drawn together in their battle for the house, Emma and Bea are forced to confront the past while facing a future that challenges everything they believe about love, fate, and family.

Book Excerpt: https://a.co/f6Rk7c1

My Book Review:

In Drawing Home, author Jamie Brenner transports the reader to the village of Sag Harbor in the Hamptons on Long Island, New York, that follows the summer of change for single mother Emma Mapson, her fourteen year old daughter Penny, and legendary NYC art patron Bea Winstead.

Emma Mapson is a single mother born and bred in the idyllic village of Sag Harbor, a popular summer destination for the wealthy. Emma is the front desk manager for The American Hotel, and she is raising her fourteen year old daughter Penny, who has been diagnosed with OCD and anxiety.

Penny has befriended renowned artist Henry Wyatt, who frequents The American Hotel's bar, and has been giving Penny drawing lessons for the past two years.

When Henry unexpectedly drops dead at the hotel bar, his will stipulates Penny as the beneficiary of his estate which includes a waterfront mansion and expansive art collection. No one is more shocked by this than Emma, that is until Henry's lifelong friend and ex-business partner, legendary NYC art patron Bea Winstead finds out that she is not the beneficiary of his will, and along with her assistant Kyle Dunlap, they go to Sag Harbor to reclaim the estate and preserve Henry's legacy. What ensues is a summer of change for Emma, Penny, and Bea, as they uncover the mystery behind Henry's inheritance, and discover the meaning of love, friendship, and family.

In Drawing Home, author Jamie Brenner easily captivates her readers' attention with this beautifully written tale through a seamless and flowing storyline, a wonderful description of a tranquil seaside village setting, and characters who draw you into their lives with a strong emotional pull, along with their complexities, flaws and secrets.

Drawing Home is a wonderful story that engages the reader to follow along as this summer of change will bring plenty of drama as Emma and Bea fight over the rights to Henry's inheritance. As Emma and Bea engage in the trials and tribulations over Henry's will, Penny deals with the challenges of her OCD and anxiety diagnosis, Emma is challenged with family issues, and Bea discovers the true meaning behind Henry's inheritance when she puts the pieces of Henry's illustrations of their lifelong friendship together.

The reader will be kept engaged as this wonderful story unfolds. With a cast of interesting characters, and a richly vivid description of Sag Harbor, Drawing Home is a compelling story about love, friendship, family, and second chances in life.

RATING: 5 STARS

About The Author

Jamie Brenner writes beach reads with a twist. She grew up in suburban Philadelphia on a steady diet of Jackie Collins and Judith Krantz novels. After college, she moved to New York City to live like the heroines of her favorite books. Her novels include the national bestseller THE FOREVER SUMMER and GILT. Jamie divides her time between Philadelphia's Main Line, Provincetown, and New York City.