STARLIGHT ON WILLOW LAKE by Susan Wiggs

June 30, 2018

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The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 11

Before I get into this book, I have to mention that my son recently got engaged to a brilliant, beautiful young woman and my husband and I are just thrilled! And in an ironic twist, they have decided to get married. . . . .wait for it. . . . .in the Catskills! If only the Inn or camp on Willow Lake were available…or if only there was a Willow Lake or town of Avalon. But I’m not worried, there are many, many beautiful little towns and lakes in the Catskills and they have found a gorgeous venue for their wedding next June. I can hardly wait! It did give this series special meaning to me.

So, book 11, is Mason Bellamy’s story. His mother, Alice, a widow, is a complete invalid and wheelchair bound since she lost her husband in a horrible accident. When she has a bad fall at home, Mason is forced to leave his jet-setting life in Manhattan to return home to Avalon until he can find a nurse to take care of his mother. Alice finds fault with just about everyone and has chased many nurses away already. She is not happy with her lot in life, misses her husband but more importantly, her very exciting life. But those are the facts and she is having a horrible time trying to deal with it all.

Faith McCallum is a single mom who is one paycheck away from being homeless with her two daughters. Her husband died very young from complications of diabetes, and her youngest daughter has it as well. Those medical bills are the reason they are on the edge financially, and Wiggs does a fine job of making that point without being the least bit preachy or political.

When she lands herself the nursing job with Alice Bellamy, she also gets living accommodations. Alice is not thrilled with the situation, but eventually Faith and her girls win her over – along with Mason, who is suspicious of everyone. Soon he finds himself enjoying life in Avalon while his fiancée is furious about his NYC defection. And he finds himself seeking out his mother’s nurse more and more.

Faith and Mason may come from very different backgrounds, but they share similar values, although it takes them both some time to figure that out. Faith didn’t want to get hurt again, and Mason had always thought he would marry someone used to his lifestyle. They both learn something new about each other and life.

But the romance is not the main story here. It is about Alice learning to live life again, even though she is in a wheelchair. It’s about Faith learning to trust her heart. It’s about Mason learning to trust his heart. It’s about Faith’s daughters learning from Alice, and she from them – and that is the soul of this story. A story of redemption, and a very fitting place to end the series.

I also wanted to mention that while I have reviewed every book in the series, there is also a novella! “Homecoming Season” is in an anthology called “More than Words: Stories of Courage” that features three novellas; this one, by Wiggs, and two more by Sharon Sala and Emilie Richards respectively. I didn’t read the other two yet but I will, then maybe I’ll review the anthology. But for now, I felt I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it in wrapping up the Lakeshore Chronicles. Need I say it is a wonderful story? It truly is, and a memorable one.

So this is it. The last book in the series (so far…) although I found this on Susan Wigg’s website:

One can only hope.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

STARLIGHT ON WILLOW LAKE by Susan Wiggs. MIRA; Original edition (February 23, 2016). ISBN 978-0778318712. 464p.

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CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS by Susan Wiggs

June 29, 2018

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The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 10

This is such a long series that it warranted not one, but two Christmas books. I love me a good Christmas romance so I was delighted. And lest you think I’m just some kind of Susan Wiggs/Christmas story nut, I’ll have you know that this book has 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon! So at least I’m in good company.

This is Logan O’Donnell’s story, and I was surprised and happy to learn more about him than just what we’ve learned through Daisy’s eyes. He becomes a fully realized character here who deserves his own happily ever after. If you haven’t read the entire series (you really should!) Wiggs provides enough details here to make the story compelling without leaving more familiar readers impatient, a fine balance that she has achieved throughout this series.

Darcy Fitzgerald has had a very rough year. She’s divorced and missing her step-children and she’s bound and determined to protect her heart from ever experiencing that kind of pain again. Until she meets Logan.

Logan has planned a special Christmas for his son, and his whole family comes to Avalon to help them celebrate. There is a lovely subplot involving a couple of children that Logan helps out that really added to the whole miracle of Christmas theme.

Darcy’s hiding out in Avalon because her cheating ex has a brother who is married to her sister – complicated, of course, but why not. So she is trying to avoid her family this year. Logan and Darcy are meant for each other, but they both have so much baggage and obstacles to overcome to get there. I loved reading their story.

Divorce is a major theme in this book, how it affects everyone from the adults to the children. As a child of divorce, I appreciated that it wasn’t just glossed over and I could certainly relate. Once again Wiggs delivers an engaging romance with the added bonus of the spirit of Christmas. I loved it.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS by Susan Wiggs. MIRA; Original edition (October 28, 2014). ISBN 978-0778316671. 384p.

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THE HIGHLAND DUKE by Amy Jarecki

June 28, 2018

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Lords of the Highlands, Book 1

RT Reviewers’ Choice Award winner!

From the publisher:

She’ll put her life on the line for him . . . 
When Akira Ayres finds the brawny Scot with a musket ball in his thigh, the healer has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to save his life. Even if it means fleeing with him across the Highlands to tend to his wounds while English redcoats are closing in. Though Akira is as fierce and brave as any of her clansmen, even she’s intimidated by the fearsome, brutally handsome Highlander who refuses to reveal his name.

Yet she can never learn his true identity.
Geordie knows if Akira ever discovers he’s the Duke of Gordon, both her life and his will be forfeit in a heartbeat. The only way to keep the lass safe is to ensure she’s by his side day and night. But the longer he’s with her, the harder it becomes to think of letting her go. Despite all their differences, despite the danger-he will face death itself to make her his . . .

This author was new to me so I had no real expectations other that hoping it would  tide me over until the Droughtlander ends (until Gabaldon writes the next book and/or the Starz TV series returns!)

The fact that the hero Geordie is a Highlander being chased by the English Redcoats and the heroine Akira is a healer was enough to fill the void. This book takes place in the early part of the 18th century so that was interesting as I’m not as familiar with that time period. Akira is dirt poor and has Gypsy blood at a time when Gypsies were being driven out of Scotland, at least the criminal elements. So that is two strikes against her as Geordie is a Duke and a Laird, and as such is expected to make a proper match.

Being on the run together brings them very close, and there is real chemistry here. Jarecki is a good storyteller, the pacing was good, the characters believable and the story made sense. Sometimes that’s all you need. This was a very enjoyable read and I learned a few things so I’m happy.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE HIGHLAND DUKE by Amy Jarecki. Avon (May 29, 2018). ISBN 978-0062848802. 304p.

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BETWEEN YOU AND ME by Susan Wiggs

June 27, 2018

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A new Susan Wiggs book! Happy day!

From the publisher:

Deep within the peaceful heart of Amish country, a life-or-death emergency shatters a quiet world to its core. Number-one New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs delivers a riveting story that challenges our deepest-held beliefs.

Caught between two worlds, Caleb Stoltz is bound by a deathbed promise to raise his orphaned niece and nephew in Middle Grove, where life revolves around family, farm, faith—and long-held suspicions about outsiders. When disaster strikes, Caleb is thrust into an urban environment of high-tech medicine and the relentless rush of modern life.

Dr. Reese Powell is poised to join the medical dynasty of her wealthy, successful parents. Bold, assertive, and quick-thinking, she lives for the addictive rush of saving lives. When a shocking accident brings Caleb Stoltz into her life, Reese is forced to deal with a situation that challenges everything she thinks she knows—and ultimately emboldens her to question her most powerful beliefs.

Then one impulsive act brings about a clash of cultures in a tug-of-war that plays out in a courtroom, challenging the very nature of justice and reverberating through generations, straining the fragile threads of faith and family.

Deeply moving and unforgettable, Between You and Me is an emotionally complex story of love and loss, family and friendship, and the arduous road to discovering the heart’s true path.

I love Susan Wiggs, she is one of my favorite authors and this book just reaffirmed that for me. It is a deeply moving and engaging novel and I couldn’t put it down. I loved these characters and the Amish culture is always fascinating to me. There is enough angst to make the story compelling without going over the top, and while the romance was secondary, it really resonated.

I loved this book.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

BETWEEN YOU AND ME by Susan Wiggs. William Morrow (June 26, 2018). ISBN 978-0062425539. 368p.

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THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand

June 25, 2018

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I look forward to spending time on Nantucket every summer; in Elin Hilderbrand’s books, that is. They are the perfect escape, and with this latest novel, she’s really upped her game and the suspense.

“The Perfect Couple” are Celeste and Benji, and this wedding is going to be the highlight of the social season. Benji’s mom has hired the premier wedding planner, venue, etc. while Celeste and her family are just along for the ride. Except on the morning of the wedding, Celeste finds her best and only friend, Merritt, her maid of honor, washed up on the beach, dead.

Celeste is a zoologist who is loves her work to the exclusion of much of a social life. We learn about her courtship with Benji as the story moves back and forth between the morning of the wedding and everything that led up to it. And to add a little spice to the story, Celeste and Benji’s best friend have some strong feelings for one another which complicates things even more.

Was Merritt murdered or was it an accident? Nearly everyone is a suspect, and police chief Ed Kapenash (from The Castaways) is going to have to figure that out.

This is the quintessential beach read; a beautiful summer setting on Nantucket, a complicated romance and a possible murder. Secrets unfurl, lies are covered up and ultimately revealed, and the pages just fly by. Hilderbrand stretched into something new with spectacular results in this completely enthralling and entertaining read. Don’t miss it.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE PERFECT COUPLE by Elin Hilderbrand. St. Martin’s Paperbacks (May 29, 2018). ISBN 978-1250102539. 352p.

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IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DUKE by Amelia Grey

June 24, 2018

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The Rakes of St. James, Book 3

This was my first book by this author. It was a bit slow and convoluted at times, but maybe that’s because I hadn’t read the first two.

The Duke of Rathburne was quite the hellion as a young man. He, along with his best friends, inadvertently ruined the reputations of a dozen young girls during their first season by playing a practical joke on them. As he is now in his early thirties, he realizes the error of his ways so when his late father’s closest friend asks a favor of him, he impulsively agrees.

Miss Marlena Fast was orphaned at a young age and her guardian has been very distant, to say the least. He is actually quite ill, so he asks the Duke of Rathburne to assume her guardianship. Marlena is horrified – unbeknownst to everyone, she is the Honora Truth, author of the most scandalous gossip sheet and her favorite target is none other than that very same Duke.

Determined to marry her off, the Duke sets about arranging a wardrobe and social life for Marlena, but she is resistant. The Duke quickly realizes that he is resistant too, he falls for her rather quickly but of course there are obstacles to overcome before their happy ending.

Not my favorite, but not a bad read. If you’ve read the first two books in this trilogy, you’ll undoubtedly want to read this one as it is the conclusion. On the other hand, I don’t feel the need to go back and read the first two books that I missed.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DUKE by Amelia Grey. St. Martin’s Paperbacks (May 29, 2018). ISBN 978-1250102539. 352p.

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SIX SEASONS by Joshua McFadden

June 23, 2018

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A New Way with Vegetables
with Martha Holmberg

Let me start by saying that while this is a vegetable forward cookbook, it is not vegetarian, so if the thought of chicken or fish or pork touching your veggies makes you ill, this is not your cookbook. But if you enjoy occasional vegetarian dishes or just love veggies and are trying to find new ways to make them, then run out and buy this book immediately. It is terrific.

The book is divided into “six seasons” –  the usual four that we all know, except summer is divided in thirds; early, mid, and late. The book is laid out in seasonal order, too, so if it is fall and you look in that section for recipes, you should easily be able to find those ingredients at your market or farm stand because they are in season. Get it? All that said, I live in South Florida so I had to throw all of that out the window since our growing “seasons” (and I use the plural loosely) are pretty much summer all year long except in summer, when it is just hot as Hades and not much grows except the mosquitoes.

There is an interesting forward and a few terrific essays:

How Getting Dirty Helped Me Become a Cook
How This Book Can Help You Become a Better Cook
What I learned While Writing This Book with Joshua

Then there are a few chapters that are out of season, if you will:

My Larder
Go To Recipes
Pickles: Six Seasons in a Jar

The rest of the book is laid out seasonally, starting with Spring.

It is also a beautiful book, nice heavy pages are actually sewn into the binding. I mention this because not a lot of cookbooks are that way, and it is a definite plus, especially with a big book like this one. It just means that the book will like flat on the counter when you cook from it. Did I mention it has about 275 recipes and is almost 400 pages long? Another physical feature of the book that I liked was that the pages are tipped in color so you can easily see the seasons.

McFadden has an interesting way of creating salad dressing that I haven’t seen before. He recommends adding the vinegar and seasonings to the salad and to keep tasting until you like it, then add the oil at the end. You don’t end up with an emulsified dressing but rather a well seasoned salad and I liked it. Not all the time, but when I get beautiful veggies from the farm and want to make a platter or simple salad, it just seems to work really well this way.

Besides recipes, there are lots of tips on how to buy, clean, and store your veggies which is very useful. There is an entire page on broccoli, then several recipes like Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage, which is a personal favorite. What I like about this recipe is the addition of “Whipped Ricotta,” although I would have liked it better if I didn’t have to flip to another page for that recipe, as well as for the dried breadcrumbs – not out of a can but yet another recipe within the recipe. I do like how clear the directions are for preparing the broccoli for this dish:

1 pound broccoli, stems trimmed and peeled, stems sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch coins, and tops cut into florets

Just takes the guessing out of it, which works for me. By the way, broccoli is a ‘midsummer’ vegetable. Early summer vegetables includes fennel, beets and the usually overlooked celery (a side note: check out the hilarious celery episode of “Portlandia“) and then make one of 7 celery recipes like “Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds, and Parmigiano” or “Braised Celery and Radicchio Salad with Perfect Roast Chicken.”

Late summer includes corn, eggplant, sweet peppers, and chiles among others. Recipes like “Corn and Tomato Salad with Torn Croutons” and Red Pepper, Potato, and Prosciutto Frittata Topped with Ricotta” are just light and easy summer suppers or sides.

Fall veggies include carrots, Brussels sprouts, artichokes and kale. Winter has these plus cabbage, turnips, kohlrabi and potatoes, and of course, winter squash. Recipes include “Pumpkin Bolognese,” “Turnip, Leek, and Potato Soup,” and a really unusual and delicious “Battered and Fried Cabbage with Crispy Seeds and Lemon,” a kind of cabbage leaf tempura that is heavily spiced and makes a wonderful appetizer.

Circling back around to the beginning of the book is Spring veggies, starring asparagus, English peas, Fava beans and lettuces. There is an adulterated version of carbonara with the lovely addition of those English peas that works really beautifully, and if you haven’t tried raw asparagus, spring is the time to do it with “Raw Asparagus Salad with Breadcrumbs, Walnuts, and Mint.” Add fresh mint to anything and I’m on board.

The “go to” recipes includes vinaigrettes like “Caper-Raisin Vinaigreette,” Pancetta Vinaigrette” and a wonderful “Lemon Cream” dressing. Also there are, butters like “Brown Butter,” “Pistachio Butter” and “Alla Diavola Butter” – yum! You’ll also find the “Whipped Ricotta” and a “Tonnato” sauce, an Italian tuna sauce. There are also come breads, like “Slightly Tangy Flatbreads” and “Pecan Dough” and really useful instructions on how to cook farro, freekeh and couscous. Pickles include a “Basic Vegetable Pickle Brine,” “Cold Brine,” and a”Hot Brine.”

Photographs abound and they are glorious. There is also an extensive index that is very useful as well. All in all, this is a beautiful cookbook that deserves a place on the bookshelf within easy reach.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

SIX SEASONS by Joshua McFadden. Artisan; 1st Edition edition (May 2, 2017). ISBN 978-1579656317. 384p.

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RAINY DAY FRIENDS by Jill Shalvis

June 22, 2018

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Wildstone, Book 2

So once again I missed the first book of a series, but I would never have known and I don’t think I missed anything – other than what was probably a really good read. Shalvis is a terrific storyteller and I love her sense of humor so I just reserved Lost and Found Sisters at my library.

Lanie Jacobs is a young widow whose life took a turn towards a Lifetime movie after her husband’s death when four more women came forward and claimed they were also married to him. Lucky for Lanie, she was the first so she got the insurance policy but money doesn’t cure everything. She feels totally humiliated so when a temporary job offer comes up out of town, she jumps on it.

Lanie is a graphic designer and it is the Capriotti family run winery that gives her some respite. She is a bit shell shocked over the whole ordeal with her husband, so keeps to herself. But the Capriotti family doesn’t get that – they are a big, loud, nosy, loving Italian family that likes nothing more than feeding and taking care of everyone, family and employees alike.

Mark Capriotti is a single father with twin girls. An Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff, he resigned his military career after his wife took off, abandoning their young girls. He knew the only way he’d be able to handle it was to move back home. With all the loving family support, he is managing.

River Brown is hired after Lanie when she shows up at the winery, pregnant and obviously living in her car. The Capriotti’s take her in, give her a job and a place to live and things seem to be finally going well. Except River is there for some nefarious purpose that we don’t find out until everything blows up.

Mark is determined to be the best cop and best father he can be, and in his mind, that means no dating, no women at all until his girls are grown up. Lanie has lost all confidence in her ability to judge men, and has some real trust issues. Nonetheless, they form a friendship that eventually grows into something more.

This was a very enjoyable escape with terrific characters, an interesting storyline and a wonderful setting. I liked the little bit of mystery and the budding romances. Shalvis usually writes contemporary romance, but this book is much more women’s fiction with a touch of romance. Pour yourself a glass of wine and settle in for a good read.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

RAINY DAY FRIENDS by Jill Shalvis. William Morrow Paperbacks (June 19, 2018). ISBN 978-0062448149. 384p.

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WICKED AND THE WALLFLOWER by Sarah MacLean

June 21, 2018

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The Bareknuckle Bastards, Book 1

From the publisher:

When Wicked Comes Calling . . .

When a mysterious stranger finds his way into her bedchamber and offers his help in landing a duke, Lady Felicity Faircloth agrees—on one condition. She’s seen enough of the world to believe in passion, and won’t accept a marriage without it.

The Wallflower Makes a Dangerous Bargain . . .

Bastard son of a duke and king of London’s dark streets, Devil has spent a lifetime wielding power and seizing opportunity, and the spinster wallflower is everything he needs to exact a revenge years in the making. All he must do is turn the plain little mouse into an irresistible temptress, set his trap, and destroy his enemy.

For the Promise of Passion . . .

But there’s nothing plain about Felicity Faircloth, who quickly decides she’d rather have Devil than another. Soon, Devil’s carefully laid plans are in chaos and he must choose between everything he’s ever wanted . . . and the only thing he’s ever desired.

That’s a good synopsis but I have to add that it is the characters that really take this historical romance to a higher level. The Devil is smart and ruthless and never thought he would succumb to a woman’s charms. Felicity is smart and beautiful, but has low self esteem and thinks herself plain.

It is more than the Duke’s good looks that draw her to him, it is the element of danger. I guess bad boys have always been popular, even in merry old Regency England. A bad boy with a heart, of course, steals Felicity’s heart despite his denials.

One of the best things about reading historical romances is the opportunity to learn about life in those times. MacLean offered up fascinating history of locks and the ice business that really held me enthralled. There is a lot of intense drama and a bit of steamy sex, and all in all this was a good start to a new series. I’m looking forward to more.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WICKED AND THE WALLFLOWER by Sarah MacLean. Avon (June 19, 2018). ISBN 978-0062842640. 368p.

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THE VERDUN AFFAIR by Nick Dybek

June 20, 2018

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Nick Dybek presents a beautifully written and memorable novel about a great love beginning on the outer edges of one of the most bloody battles of World War One at Verdun.

Tom is a young American traveling to Europe at the end of the war. He stays on after driving an ambulance during the fighting in order to help with the labor of identifying the dead and possibly uniting families looking for their relatives after the war. We find him in a job collecting bones from the battlefield and bringing them back for possible identification and burial.

Lonely, he is attracted to Sarah, a beautiful American woman visiting the area in search of her husband who disappeared after wandering off from his division and not being seen since. The two fall into an affair, and later meet again at an Italian hospital where a shell shocked soldier dubbed “Douglas Fairbanks” (the American silent screen star) is in the psychiatric ward. The patient has no memory of who he is and what happened to him. Sarah feels that the soldier has enough resemblance to her missing husband to possibly be him. Tom and Sarah are joined by Paul, an Austrian journalist who has his own motives for wanting to meet the amnesiac known as “Douglas Fairbanks.”

The novel shifts to the 1950s in Hollywood where Tom has become a successful screen writer. He again encounters Paul who has continued to fight the demons of how to live and function again after the trauma that he has gone through. They talk and attempt again to come to terms with the events that have caused so much pain for them and for Sarah.

The story ends at this point with everything still up in the air; a situation most likely to occur in real life after facing the horrors of modern warfare. A very captivating novel drawing in the reader and immersing them into emotions and actions of thecharacters facing horrors that should never be faced by human beings.

6/18 Paul Lane

THE VERDUN AFFAIR by Nick Dybek. Scribner (June 12, 2018).  ISBN 978-1501191763. 304p.

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