THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green

June 9, 2017

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I always look forward to the new Jane Green book and she never disappoints. The Sunshine Sisters is a terrific read and the first beach read I’ve really enjoyed this year.

Ronni Sunshine is a movie actress of some renowned. As she gives birth to each of her three daughters, her life changes just a little bit. Luckily, her husband is happy to step up and be the parent while Ronni focuses on herself and her career. She is no one’s idea of a good mother and her kids all eventually figure that out.

The girls aren’t especially close as children and they drift further and further apart. Nell, the oldest,  gets pregnant in college, drops out and the father takes off, leaving her to raise her son alone. She moves only 20 miles away to a farm, where she finds her happiness.

Meredith, the middle child, moves a bit further away – to England, where her grandparents are. She is convinced that she is fat and unloveable after a lifetime of her mother telling her so. She is engaged to a good looking but dreadful man, and her family can’t stand him.

The youngest, Lizzy, is a celebrity chef and the most like her mother, selfish and narcissistic. Her husband gave up his job to take care of their son and Lizzy repays his kindness by having an affair with her business partner.

Ronni demands all three children come home and when they do, they see that she looks awful. She tells them she is dying, wants to kill herself, and wants them all to bear witness. Needless to say, no matter how they feel about each other and their mother, none of them are on board with that idea. The week before the big event is supposed to happen brings the sisters together in a way they have never been before.

This is a compelling read with terrific characters. It was a one night read for me, so now I’m sorry, once again, that I have to wait a year for another Jane Green book. Take it to the beach and have fun.

6/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green. Berkley (June 6, 2017). ISBN 978-0399583315. 384p.

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RT Booklovers Convention 2017 – Part 1

June 8, 2017

If I couldn’t be there, (and I couldn’t,) this is the next best thing!

Seven Steps to Sensual Tension Panel | RT Booklovers Convention 2017 – Authors Christi Barth and Laura Kaye discuss building the simmering attraction that keeps the readers furiously flipping the page. They look at not only creating moments, but stretching them, teasing both the characters and readers.

Romantic Suspense: Compelling Stories Panel | RT Booklovers Convention 2017 – Join some of the biggest names in Romantic Suspense for a lively panel on one of the hottest genres in publishing right now. Featuring Laura Kaye, Rebecca Zanetti, Julie Ann Walker, Karen Rose, Liliana Hart, and Eileen Dreyer.

More to follow so check back soon!

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THE GIRL WITH THE MAKE-BELIEVE HUSBAND by Julia Quinn

June 7, 2017

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A Bridgertons Prequel: Rokesbys, Book 2

Cecelia Harcourt is in trouble. Her brother is in the army, fighting in the colonies when she gets a letter informing her that he has been injured and is in the hospital. Her father has just died, her mother died many years earlier, and a loathesome cousin has come sniffing around, trying to talk her into marrying him. He suspects he may inherit if her brother is dead, but Cecelia wants no part of him. She could go live with an aunt, but that doesn’t appeal either.

Instead, she gathers up the strength and the courage to sail to the colonies, try and find her brother and nurse him back to health. But when she finally arrives, no one seems to know where her brother is, he is presumed missing. But she does find her brother’s best friend, Captain Edward Rokesby. He is lying in a makeshift hospital and has been unconscious for a week after receiving a terrible head wound.

The doctor in charge won’t let her help Edward until she blurts out that she is his wife, and that changes everything. She is permitted to sit by his side and nurse him back and a few days later, he regains consciousness – along with amnesia. He has no memory of the previous few months.

Oh what a plot we weave when first we practice to deceive – and while deception seems to be at the heart of a lot of romance novels, Quinn’s expertise and experience really show here. The story is believable and compelling, and I finished it in one very late night. Another excellent read from a Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame author.

6/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE GIRL WITH THE MAKE-BELIEVE HUSBAND by Julia Quinn. Avon (May 30, 2017). ISBN: 978-0062388179. 384p.

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ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman

June 6, 2017

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Quirky, heartwarming books seem to be more abundant than ever and I couldn’t be happier. I generally will read anything that the Pamela Dorman imprint puts out. She finds a lot of these quirky books and is responsible for some bestselling authors you may have heard of, like Luanne Rice and Jojo Moyes, and one of my favorite books, Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal.

Eleanor Oliphant lives alone. She has some personality quirks, to say the least, and speaks to her mother on the phone every Wednesday night. It is never a pleasant conversation. She works in an office and has no friends or social life. My first assumption was that she was somewhere on the autism spectrum – but you know what they say happens when one assumes.

One day Raymond, the new IT guy, stops by her desk and is friendly. She doesn’t know quite what to make of him but agrees to have lunch with him, even though it disrupts her routine. They go outside and see an old man fall down. Raymond rushes to help but he is passed out, so they call for help and ride with him to the hospital.

That tenous connection is enough for Raymond and Eleanor to become friends, a new experience for Eleanor. Raymond is the perfect friend for Eleanor, easy going and undemanding. Eventually as they get to know each other, we get to know them too, especially Eleanor, and realize that she has had a horrendous life. It slowly unfurls as we get drawn deeper into her world, until the whole truth comes out. Raymond is there for her throughout and we can’t help but root for him to win the girl, damaged though she may be.

A lovely, funny novel that is truly unique and memorable. Don’t miss it.

6/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE by Gail Honeyman. Pamela Dorman Books (May 9, 2017).  ISBN 978-0735220683.  336p.

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Jeffrey Tambor: Landing my role on Arrested Development

June 3, 2017

Jeffrey Tambor discusses how he landed the role of George Bluth, Sr. on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, and what he remembers from the show.

 

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RABBIT CAKE by Annie Hartnett

June 2, 2017

If you like charming, quirky books – and I love them – then you need to read Rabbit Cake. It got some starred reviews, was a “People Magazine Book of the Week,” and it lived up to all the hype.

Elvis Babbitt is the twelve year old girl at the heart of this book. Her mother, a scientist and professor, was a sleepwalker who accidentally drowned one night. Elvis’s father is dealing with his grief by wearing his wife’s robe and her lipstick. Elvis’s older sister Lizzie, always a rebellious, problematic teen, becomes even worse. Lizzie is also a sleepwalker and after her mother’s death, she becomes a sleep eater as well.

Elvis wants to continue her mother’s work, writing a book on the sleeping habits of animals. She is a very bright, very precocious child, to say the least, and for much of the book seems more mature than most of the adults in her life. The counselor at school tells Elvis that grief takes about 18 months to run its course, and Elvis takes her at her word and creates a grief chart to help her cope.

There are lots of quirky goings on throughout the story, from the Jesus statue made from beach debris that arrives one day, the bird that imitates the mother’s voice perfectly, to Lizzie’s baking 1000 rabbit cakes to get into the Guinness Book of World Records, and much, much more.

The characters are so well developed I couldn’t help but be drawn into their world and I was sad to leave them at the end of the book. This was a most enjoyable read, esepcially if you like family stories. The quirkiness is sure to appeal to readers who loved Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette, Gabrielle Zevin’s The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, and Frederik Backman fans.

6/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

RABBIT CAKE by Annie Hartnett. Tin House Books (March 7, 2017).  ISBN 978-1941040560.  344p.

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Win the June ’17 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

June 1, 2017

Welcome to the June bookshelf of signed thrillers! This is a bonanza of exciting new books to win – some favorite authors or find a new author. To enter, go to the Win Books page. Best of luck!

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ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE INITIATIVE by Eric Van Lustbader: After Russian general Boris Karpov dies and his cyberoperation to steal the U.S. president’s nuclear launch codes proceeds from beyond the grave, Jason Bourne is marked a traitor by the U.S. government when it’s revealed that Karpov trusted Bourne.

DANGEROUS MINDS by Janet Evanovich: A follow-up to Curious Minds pits mismatched partners Riley Moon, a financial analyst; and Emerson Knight, an eccentric billionaire’s son, against a big-league criminal whose activities pose a series of puzzle-like clues. By the best-selling author of the Stephanie Plum novels.

THE CHILD by Fiona Barton: When an infant’s skeleton is discovered in a demolished house, Kate Waters strives to uncover the baby’s identity and unearths links to a decades-old kidnapping, but she is torn between helping the police and revealing her sources.

MURDER IN SAINT-GERMAIN by Cara Black: Accosted by a paranoid counterterrorism agent who may be compromised by PTSD, private investigator Aimée Leduc wonders if the Serbian warlord who the agent was tracking may have come to Paris with a blood vendetta, a case that is challenged by Aimée’s wedding, the demands of early motherhood and a series of attacks on other agents.

TRAP THE DEVIL by Ben Coes: When the instigators of an invisible coup assassinate the secretary of state and target the president and vice president as part of a plan to take over the government and launch a full-scale war, Dewey Andreas is dispatched by the CIA to offer additional security only to find himself framed for the murders he would prevent.

INDIGO by Charlaine Harris, et al: In a brilliant collaboration by New York Times and critically acclaimed coauthors Charlaine Harris, Christopher Golden, Kelley Armstrong, Jonathan Maberry, Kat Richardson, Seanan McGuire, Tim Lebbon, Cherie Priest, James Moore, and Mark Morris join forces to bring you a crime-solving novel like you’ve never read before.

LOCKDOWN by Laurie R. King: A school career day that is hosted by a range of presenters is thrown into turmoil by an anonymous enemy with a thirst for revenge in a stand-alone novel of psychological suspense by the best-selling author of the Mary Russell series.

THE SPY ACROSS THE TABLE by Barry Lancet: Book 4 in the Jim Brodie Thriller Series. An antiques dealer tries to investigate who killed two of his friends at a theatre in Washington, D.C., but runs afoul of the head of Homeland Security after the first lady, a mutual friend of one of the slain, gets involved.

ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen M. McManus: When one of five students in detention is found dead, his high-profile classmates—including a brainy intellectual, a popular beauty, a drug dealer on probation and an all-star athlete—are investigated and revealed to be the subjects of the victim’s latest gossip postings.

RED SKY by Chris Goff: This is the pulse-pounding follow-up to Dark Waters in the Raisa Jordan Thriller Series. 

YOU’LL NEVER KNOW DEAR by Hallie Ephron: When a one-of-a-kind porcelain doll that went missing the day her sister was abducted decades earlier resurfaces, Lissie uncovers sinister clues about a mysterious individual who would threaten the lives of the women in her family.

UNSUB by Meg Gardiner: A psychological thriller inspired by the unsolved case of the Zodiac Killer follows the efforts of a young detective who resolves to apprehend the serial murderer who destroyed her family and terrorized a city 20 years earlier.

You can win autographed copies of all these books! If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers organization. We put together a list of books from debut authors to bestsellers, so you can win some of your favorites and find some new favorites.

What makes this contest really special is that all of the books (except eBooks) are signed by the author! Books with multiple authors will be signed by at least one of the authors.

Penguin Random House books for giveaway were provided by the publisher. #PRHpartner

Don’t forget, if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow this blog, you get an extra entry into every contest you enter. Check out the Win Books page for more information on all these books and how you to enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

Win a signed copy of Pacific Burn by Barry Lancet!

May 31, 2017

With Barry’s permission, I’m recreating his newsletter with the giveaway. This is a terrific series and if you haven’t tried it yet, you definitely should!

Best of luck and enjoy!

On sale June 20, The Spy Across the Table is the much-anticipated fourth installment in Barry Lancet’s award-winning Jim Brodie thriller series.

Sometimes-PI Brodie “is in top form” (Kirkus Reviews) in this latest outing, in which he finds himself called to the White House—by the First Lady herself—after a double-murder occurs at the Kennedy Center. It turns out the First Lady was the college roommate of one of the victims, and she enlists Brodie—off the record—to use his Japanese connections to track down the assassin. Homeland Security head Tom Swelley is furious that the White House is meddling and wants Brodie off the case. Why? For the same reason a master Chinese spy, one of the most dangerous men alive, appears on the scene: the murders were no random act of violence.

Forced into a dangerous game of espionage, Brodie finds himself in the crosshairs of the Chinese, North Korean, and American governments. He flies to Tokyo to attend the second of two funerals where Anna, the daughter of one of the victims, is kidnapped during the ceremony. Immediately, Brodie realizes that the murders were simply bait to draw her out of hiding: Anna is the key architect of a top-secret NSA program that gathers the personal secrets of America’s most influential leaders—secrets so damaging that North Korea and China will stop at nothing to get them, forcing Brodie to face off against the spy across the table.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller and a timely behind-the-scenes look at the complex relationship between China and North Korea, The Spy Across the Table is a riveting action-packed addition to Lancet’s wildly popular and highly acclaimed series.

Barry is giving away five signed copies of the newly released paperback of Pacific Burn. To enter to win, pre-order The Spy Across the Table at any online retailers—or your favorite independent bookstore—and then complete this form. But hurry, contest ends June 11!

 

 

 

Connect with Barry:

Follow Barry on Twitter
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Follow Barry on Goodreads
Visit BarryLancet.com

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NEW YORK ACTUALLY by Sarah Morgan

May 30, 2017

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From Manhattan With Love Series, Book 4

My regular readers know that this is one of my favorite series. Originally it was supposed to be a trilogy, but I was so happy to hear there would be more. This one is another terrific entry into the series.

This series was originally about three women, best friends who get downsized from their jobs and form their own company, a sort of concierge service for Manhattanites, called Urban Genie. Each book centered around one of the women, but now their world has expanded. This book is about Molly, who uses the dog walkers recommended by Urban Genie and is friendly with the women, and Daniel, who is friends with one of the women’s brothers. Not as complicated as it sounds, and hardly worth an explanation, but there you have it. Romance series tend to grow by focusing the next story on a peripheral character, so there is always some overlap but I think this series is best read in order.

Molly has emigrated to America from England because of some horrible incident that is hinted at throughout the story, but not exposed until nearly the end. We know it was a relationship gone horribly wrong that also caused her friends and family to abandon her. leaving her gun shy about love, to say the least. Interestingly, Molly is a psychologist who specializes in relationships. In New York, she starts a blog called “Ask a Girl,” using the pseudonym Aggie, and she has a huge following and earns a book deal out of it. That book was a big bestseller and now she is under contract to write another. No one, except the gay couple upstairs, knows that Molly is Aggie or what happened in the UK, and she aims to keep it that way.

Daniel is one of the most successful divorce lawyers in New York. His sisters are the dog walkers, so when he sees Molly running in the park with her dog, he borrows a dog from them to try and catch her interest – and it works. Molly’s dalmation, Valentine, is her best friend and she likes it that way. She has no interest in getting involved with anyone again, not after all the heartache she’s left in her wake. Daniel is also gun shy, working with all those couples who are getting divorced and the bitterness and acrimony that goes along with it. But he’s all about casual sex, and the chemistry between them is so strong that Molly can’t deny it.

They become friends with benefits, for lack of a better description, but there are many stumbling blocks along the way, some of them pretty major. But this wouldn’t be a romance without a happily ever after, and there is. This was a one night (ok, a late night) read for me – I loved it! The next book is Holiday in the Hamptons, which comes out August 29 (or June 15, I’ve seen both dates,) but you can pre-order it now.

5/17 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

NEW YORK ACTUALLY by Sarah Morgan. HQN Books (May 30, 2017). ISBN 978-0373804108. 384p.

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Author Spotlight: Jennifer Ryan 5/17

May 29, 2017

Jennifer Ryan (author of THE CHILBURY LADIES’ CHOIR) | 8 Great Questions – Jennifer Ryan (author of THE CHILBURY LADIES’ CHOIR) answers 8 Great Questions about books, words, and characters.

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THE CHILBURY LADIES’ CHOIR

For readers of Lilac Girls and The Nightingale, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir unfolds the struggles, affairs, deceptions, and triumphs of a village choir during World War II

As England becomes enmeshed in the early days of World War II and the men are away fighting, the women of Chilbury village forge an uncommon bond. They defy the Vicar’s stuffy edict to close the choir and instead “carry on singing,” resurrecting themselves as the Chilbury Ladies’ Choir. We come to know the home-front struggles of five unforgettable choir members: a timid widow devastated when her only son goes to fight; the older daughter of a local scion drawn to a mysterious artist; her younger sister pining over an impossible crush; a Jewish refugee from Czechoslovakia hiding a family secret; and a conniving midwife plotting to outrun her seedy past.

An enchanting ensemble story that shuttles from village intrigue to romance to the heartbreaking matters of life and death, Jennifer Ryan’s debut novel thrillingly illuminates the true strength of the women on the home front in a village of indomitable spirit.

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