HEAT WAVE by Nancy Thayer

May 21, 2016

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Narrated by Kathe Mazur

Loved the narrator, always a plus for an audio book.

I liked the story but I had some issues.

This is about a young woman who is happily married with two young daughters living a fairly blissful life on Nantucket. Carley truly loves her life; she’s a happy homemaker and mom, that is until her husband dies suddenly from a heart attack.

She inherits their big old house on the Sound that has been in her in-law’s family for years, but no money. Her husband had made a lot of bad investments and unbeknownst to Carley, they were broke. Her in-laws invite her to move her family in with them, but she demurs. Instead, she turns her big home into a bed & breakfast. Just like that she’s in business.

Carley’s husband’s best friend, Wyatt, helps her out, offering advice and taking Carley and the girls sailing. While her daughters are visiting their grandparents in New York, Carley runs into Wyatt and they end up spending the week together, mostly in bed. They don’t tell anyone though, Carley thinks it is too soon. She spends the rest of the book teetering between admitting to herself that she has fallen in love with Wyatt and then talking herself out of it because it was too soon or she was afraid of what her kids or her in-laws or her friends would say. It really started to grate on me.

There are other subplots involving her best friends, adultery, secrets and more, but Carley is always at the heart of it all. It was an enjoyable read but you really have to suspend your disbelief. The book was published in 2011, so I had some issues with unprotected sex with a man who is extremely sexually active, another character gets pregnant after two one night stands with different men, the fact that everyone on this island has no money issues at all, including the broke widow, and a few other little things. But I got past it and enjoyed the book. Ultimately, it was an entertaining read.

5/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

HEAT WAVE by Nancy Thayer. Random House Audio. ASIN: B005745JK0. Listening Length: 9 hours and 38 minutes.

Paperback: Ballantine Books; Reprint edition (May 29, 2012). ISBN 978-0345518323. 336p.

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ELIGIBLE by Curtis Sittenfeld

May 20, 2016

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A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Hats off to Sittenfeld, she really caught Jane Austen’s voice in this contemporary story of women, class, romance and family.

Liz Bennet is a writer for a woman’s magazine in New York City. She is one of six sisters; closest in age and geography is Jane, a yoga instructor who has started in vitro with a sperm donor, determined to be a mom even though she is not in any relationship. When their father has a heart attack, they rush home to Cincinnati to find chaos.

Their younger sisters all live at home. The two youngest are all about the gym and their diets and have no interested in work or living on their own. The middle sister is a professional student, also living at home. And home has become a problem; he old Tudor house that’s been in the family for generations is falling down around them, and the family is oblivious.

Liz’s mother is only interested in social climbing and marrying off her daughters. Her father has been managing the family money right into the ground. Liz takes charge and finds solutions for all of it, but gets little respect, appreciation and just grudging acquiescence.

Chip Bingley is a doctor who also starred on a “Bachelor” type TV reality show called Eligible. He’s returned home without having found his true love. When he meets Jane, sparks fly but the road to romance is hard won here.

Chip’s friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is also a doctor and a surgeon, with the expected super ego. Liz finds him condescending, to say the least.

If you’ve read Pride & Prejudice, you have a good idea where this all goes. If not, read it anyway. Eligible is great fun.

If you enjoy this sort of thing, check out HarperCollins’ Jane Austen Project. The Girl from Summer Hill by Jude Deveraux is another new update on Pride & Prejudice that’s a fun read.

5/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

ELIGIBLE by Curtis Sittenfeld. Random House (April 19, 2016). ISBN 978-1400068326. 512p.

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BEST OF MY LOVE by Susan Mallery

May 19, 2016

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Fool’s Gold, Book 22

I am working my way through a bunch of new-to-me contemporary romance writers, and having a blast. This is the 22nd book in a series and my first Susan Mallery read – and I loved it.

Fool’s Gold is the name of a small town that runs on tourism. Aidan Mitchell literally put the word “adventure” into the company he took over from his mom, Mitchell’s Adventure Tours. He specializes in outdoor adventures and dating tourists, many of whom are looking for a little sexual adventure, too. He’s a love ’em and leave ’em kinda guy, so this works well for everyone. Until it doesn’t.

One night at a bar, a young woman who looks vaguely familiar approaches Aidan. She wants more from their relationship, and he can’t even remember her name. She annihilates him and for the first time, he feels like maybe this isn’t the best way to live.

Shelby Gilmore hasn’t lived in Fool’s Gold that long. She escaped there, running from an abusive father after her mother dies. She lands her dream job working for a local bakery. But Shelby has a lot of creative ideas, and her boss isn’t always receptive to them.

Shelby’s been in therapy long enough to know that she has serious trust issues with men, and after witnessing the Aidan debacle in the bar, she comes up with a plan. She needs to make friends with a man, just friends, to learn how to trust one. And she decides Aidan might be just the man she’s looking for.

Aidan realizes he needs to change, so when Shelby approaches him about her project, he agrees – he needs to learn to treat women with respect, to learn they are not just sex objects. They agree to a six month period of hanging out, and being just friends. But of course, they fall in love.

This was a perfect romance; great characters, an interesting setting, and lots of angst, love and sex. Next time I need a quick, fun read I will reach for another Susan Mallery book.

5/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

BEST OF MY LOVE by Susan Mallery. HQN Books (April 26, 2016). ISBN: 978-0373789191. 384p.

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A BETTER MAN by Candis Terry

May 18, 2016

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A Sunshine Creek Vineyard Novel, Book 1

Romance in a vineyard? Count me in!

Jordan Kinkade is a hockey star in the NFL, but when his parents die, he returns home. The whole family is grieving, and it’s good for them all to be together.

Jordan’s brothers are taking care of the family vineyard, and he wants to pull his own weight, so he decides to help care for his teenage sister, Nicki, that the brothers have nicknamed “Baby Dragon” due to her teenage moodiness. Jordan and Nicki are not close at all, as he hasn’t been around for most of her life. But she is definitely having some problems and first up, he needs to chat with her teacher, Ms. Diamond.

Lucy Diamond really likes Nicki, and realizes she needs help. When Nicki’s big brother Jordan comes to see her, he is startled to find out he knew her when they were both younger. He realizes she probably hates him for the way he treated her, and he’s not wrong. She has some real trust issues, due to Jordan in part, and a bad first marriage. She’s determined to help Nicki and ignore Jordan’s flirting, but she may be ready for another relationship…or not.

I love that these characters all had realistic flaws and I couldn’t help but care about them. I can see why Candis Terry is so popular. This is the first book of a new series, and I am looking forward to the next.

5/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

A BETTER MAN by Candis Terry. Avon (March 29, 2016). ISBN 978-0062351173. 368p.

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BOAR ISLAND by Nevada Barr

May 17, 2016

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An Anna Pigeon Novel

Anna Pigeon is asked to fill in for the Chief Ranger at Acadia National Park in Maine, but before she can leave, her best friend Heath’s daughter Elizabeth, Anna’s goddaughter, attempts suicide. Turns out she’s been the victim of cyber bullying, taken to the extreme.

It slowly comes out that Elizabeth was sexually assaulted by her best friend’s father. It would have been much worse except her friend Tiffany suspected something and showed up, along with her mother, in the nick of time, but then tried to blame Elizabeth.

Anna and Heath, along with Heath’s aunt Gwen, decide to get the girl out of town. They go with Anna to Maine and stay on Boar Island. As Anna assumes her new role, a lobsterman is murdered in town. While outside of her jurisdiction, she still gets caught up in it.

Denise, a park ranger, is assigned to drive Anna and is acting hinky. There’s a murder attempt on Anna’s life, kidnappings, and the cyber bullying evolves into stalking, leading to a hot mess in Acadia and a real page turner. Barr’s fans will be happy with this nineteenth entry into the series.

6/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

BOAR ISLAND by Nevada Barr. Minotaur Books (May 17, 2016). ISBN 978-1250064691. 384p.

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Win The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews!

May 17, 2016

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Mary Kay Andrews returns to her mystery roots with her latest beach read, and I couldn’t be happier.!

From the publisher:

Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.

So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens…in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.

Told with Mary Kay Andrews’ trademark blend of humor and warmth, and with characters and a setting that you can’t help but fall for, The Weekenders is the perfect summer escape.

Mary Kay writes great characters and setting, and this book is no exception. Twelve year old Maggy will bring back your own pre-teen’s worst behavior to the forefront, no holds barred. I do not miss those days! And Riley, as a woman on the verge of divorce facing widowhood instead, has all the emotional ups and downs a real life counterpart would have. There are several red herrings and lots of suspects so the mystery plays out nicely as well.

This was another really enjoyable book from one of my favorite authors. If you’d like to win your own copy, read on…

To win a copy of THE WEEKENDERS by Mary Kay Andrews, please send an email to contest@gmail.com with “WEEKENDERS” as the subject. You must include your U.S. street address in your email.

All entries must be received by May 30, 2016. One (1) name will be drawn from all qualified entries and notified via email. This contest is open to all adults over 18 years of age in the United States only. Your prize will be sent by Tandem Literary.

One entry per email address. Subscribers to the monthly newsletter earn an extra entry into every contest. Follow this blog to earn another entry into every contest. Winners may win only one time per year (365 days) for contests with prizes of more than one book. Your email address will not be shared or sold to anyone.

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THE GIRL FROM SUMMER HILL by Jude Deveraux

May 16, 2016

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A Summer Hill Novel, Book 1

This is my second Jude Deveraux book, and I’m actually starting with the first book of new series, most unusual for me, but I like it!

Let me start with a platitude; everything old is new again. And there are a couple of theories espoused (former English major here) that every novel is based on either the Bible, or a combination of the Bible, Shakespeare and Homer. In this case, Summer Hill is literally based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Let’s call it the circle of literary life.

Summer Hill is a small town with an increased summer population. The town is preparing to put on a play to raise funds for various local charities. The play is based on Pride and Prejudice. So this is sort of a book within a book, both based on the same book. Sounds confusing but it isn’t. In Deveraux’s skilled hands, it is entertaining, fun, and fresh.

Casey has escaped from an overwhelming chef job in Washington D.C. She’s living in the guest house on an uninhabited plantation, cooking for the cast of the show and baking and preserving to her heart’s content. So she is shocked to walk into her kitchen one morning and find a gorgeous man on her porch, stripping naked and using her outdoor shower. She enjoys the show until her phone rings, and the man breaks her screen door and threatens her, seeming to think she was taking pictures of him.

That man is Tate Landers, Hollywood leading man and mega movie star. Casey hasn’t seen any of his films, but her best friend adores him so she knows who he is. And we have our Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. They end up playing those parts in the town production, as well as living them.

There are several subplots that really keep the pages turning, some mystery and lots of romance, not to mention the stress of a small town production starring Hollywood’s most popular leading men. I read it in one night and enjoyed every page, so I’m looking forward to the next Summer Hill book.

If you like this sort of thing, check out HarperCollins’ Jane Austen Project. Curtis Sittenfeld has a new book out, Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice.

5/16 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE GIRL FROM SUMMER HILL by Jude Deveraux. Ballantine Books; First Edition edition (May 3, 2016). ISBN 978-1101883266. 384p.

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PAST CRIMES by Glen Erik Hamilton

May 15, 2016

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Book 1 in the Van Shaw Series

“Come home, if you can.”

Van Shaw might have chosen to ignore his grandfather if Dono hadn’t added the latter part of the request. And if he wasn’t already laid up recuperating from a recent surgery. The request is an odd one considering the two men haven’t spoken in a decade, but the fact that Dono reached out to begin with leads Van to believe it must be serious.

Unfortunately, Van arrives in town and at his grandfather’s house just moments after the old man has been shot and left for dead. Before he can even connect with 911, the police have arrived and it’s only a neighbor’s confirmation that Van appeared after the shots were fired that saves him from becoming a suspect. Dono has always been into shady business but nothing that would have him gunned down in his own home. And with his grandfather laid up in a coma, it’s up to Van to find out exactly who has it in for the old criminal.

Glen Erik Hamilton’s debut is the start of a brand new series featuring a kick ass hero.

Van Shaw is an ex criminal himself, trained at his grandfather’s knee from a very early age. But Van left that life way behind him the day he joined the military. His leaving was prompted by circumstances that also caused the two men to break any and all contact, circumstances the author lays out through a series of flashbacks outlining Van’s life with Dono.

Van dons the hat of amateur investigator, using the skills and connections Dono himself passed on, at the risk of angering the local authorities but (of course) turns out to be much better equipped for breaking Dono’s case than anyone else. It makes for fabulous reading and is sure to be a hit for readers looking for another Reacher-esque hero/antihero to follow.

5/16 Becky LeJeune

PAST CRIMES by Glen Erik Hamilton. William Morrow; Reprint edition (February 23, 2016). ISBN: 978-0062344564. 448p.

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Review: BOSCH

May 14, 2016

I was delighted to review Bosch, the TV series based on the Michael Connelly books, for the Booklist Blog. I’m re-posting here.

Mysteries on the Small Screen: Bosch

Title: Bosch

Starring: Titus Welliver, Amy Aquino, Lance Reddick, Jamie Hector

First aired: February 2015

Where you can watch it: Amazon Prime

Two remarkable things happened in 1992 that will forever be intertwined in my mind; my daughter was born and so was Harry Bosch. The Black Echo won the Edgar Award for Best First Mystery Novel and remarkably, the series has continued to grow even stronger. For me, Michael Connelly is the finest crime fiction writer working today.

Connelly has had films made of The Lincoln Lawyer and Blood Work, and they were not memorable. Then the Bosch TV series was announced. I knew that Connelly had held out for someone who shared his vision, and he found that with Eric Overmyer (Treme, The Wire). I knew Connelly was going to be hands-on with the project, and I knew I would watch it—but what I didn’t know was if I would like it.

Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch is a Los Angeles homicide detective who loves his job, his city, and jazz. The series reflects all that, and the nuances that brought Harry to life on the page are now reflected on the screen in Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch. He’s younger and better looking than he is in the books, he’s a veteran of the Gulf War instead of the Vietnam War, and some of the timeline has changed, but the changes make sense. Best of all, this is a TV series so there is no need to solve a crime in 90 minutes.

Connelly says, “It has been an incredible experience being involved in telling these stories again. From writing to casting to choosing locations, my involvement is full and feels like a hyper-surreal replay of what goes on in my head when I’m writing a Bosch novel. But all the chess pieces so to speak are real and flesh and blood. It’s pretty wonderful to spend time in this alternate universe.”

I have had a 20-plus year relationship with Harry Bosch, and all I can say is Titus Welliver nailed it. I fell in love with Harry all over again. The rest of the cast is spot on as well, and some will be familiar to fans of HBO’s The Wire. Jaime Hector as Bosch’s partner, Jerry Edgar, and Lance Reddick as Irvin Irving are perfectly cast, as is Amy Aquino as the lieutenant.

Bosch is a smart police drama with compelling characters and interesting storylines that should appeal to fans of the books and fans of cop shows. The attention to detail really pays off, from shooting on location in Los Angeles to filming in the actual LAPD detective bureau.

The first season starts off with Harry involved in a civil suit after he kills a fleeing suspect. Meanwhile his new assignment comes when the old bones of a badly abused child are found in the woods, and there is a serial killer on the loose in Los Angeles. These stories all intertwine, and the superior writing and acting makes Bosch perfect for binge-watching.

There have been two seasons, 10 episodes each, produced so far, and a third season has been green-lighted.

Season 1 focuses mainly on City of Bones with elements from Echo Park and The Concrete Blonde. Season 2 focuses mainly on Trunk Music with elements from The Drop and The Last Coyote. The upcoming season 3 will focus on The Black Echo and elements of A Darkness More than Night.

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THE GIRL I USED TO BE by April Henry

May 13, 2016

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Olivia was only three years old when her mother was murdered. Now, fourteen years later, she only remembers what she’s been told about the incident: High school sweethearts Naomi Benson and Terry Weeks, twenty and twenty-one respectively, took their three-year-old out to hunt for a Christmas tree. All three and Terry’s truck were reported missing when they failed to return home. One day later, the toddler was identified as a girl found three hours away, abandoned at a local Wal-Mart. Another three weeks passed before Naomi’s body was discovered and Terry’s truck was found in an airport parking lot.

Of course the running theory was that Terry murdered his girlfriend and left his daughter before escaping. But new evidence proves that wasn’t the case. As the only witness, Olivia has always wondered if the truth about that day might be hidden somewhere in the depths of her own memory. And now she’s determined to find out. But the killer who once spared her isn’t likely to do so again.

April Henry has made quite a name for herself in teen mysteries. But Henry was a name on my radar long before she broke onto the teen scene thanks to her Claire Montrose series. It was a series I quite enjoyed (I can’t see a vanity plate without it coming to mind.) so I was understandably excited to sink my teeth into her latest teen release. And I was not disappointed.

Olivia, born Ariel, is an emancipated minor who’s long lived with the knowledge that her father murdered her mother and then ran for the hills. But that belief is shaken when Terry Weeks’s remains are discovered fourteen years after the crime in question took place. The guilt of knowing she was so wrong in her assumptions about her father prompts Olivia to attend his funeral and face the people who knew him best. And in doing so she realizes that she can anonymously dig into the case on her own.

As with any amateur investigation, especially one so close to the heroine in question, the killer does eventually catch wind. This of course leaves Olivia vulnerable to a killer whose face she can’t remember in spite of the fact that random memories of her childhood have started to return.

The Girl I Used to Be is a quick read that’s absolutely packed with suspense. It’s an excellent addition to the genre (and a fantastic return to her work for this older fan).

5/16 Becky LeJeune

THE GIRL I USED TO BE by April Henry. Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (May 3, 2016). ISBN: 978-1627793322. 240p.

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