Tag: Fiction

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The Girl in the Picture (Wiesner)-BoT-Fiction-Available Now

I really enjoy it when an author writes a story that becomes about more than one thing as I read it. The Girl in the Picture by Melissa Wiesner is a perfect case in point.

For example, it’s a road-trip story. I loved that aspect. My husband and I took a similar road trip several years ago (NY to CA and back) where we took detours to see specific locations and tourist attractions.

We did it with two cats, but that’s another story.

So, I was able to relate to that part of the story: the sketchy motels, the junk food diets, the hole-in-the-wall bars…except the one we happened into actually involved bullets on the floor.

Again, that’s another story.

But I loved the adventure part of the plot because it fed into the next type of story it was.

This was also a journey of two characters. Beyond the road trip, it was the story of two people who were searching for answers as they traveled. Individually, they had their own issues that they were dealing with (which I’ll get to in a minute), but their trip actually created more questions.

Both of them were trying to escape (which is the perfect fodder for a road trip). Along the way, they realized that going it alone wasn’t necessarily the best way to deal with things. This leads me to the third type of book this was.

I have come to the realization that opposites attract is one of my favorite tropes. Maybe it’s because of my personal life, maybe it’s because I find it fascinating to watch (read) two people who have seemingly nothing in common actually find similarities and realize what is really important.

That is the heart of this novel.

The Girl in the Picture blog tour
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I truly loved the arcs of Jack and Tegan, both separately and together. They had each faced tragedy and life troubles and were searching for a future that could provide happiness (as they defined it originally). But again, what they thought would be the solution changed as they traveled with each other.

I didn’t think that either character was overdone or a caricature of a “type.” There was just enough information and background about each to make them believable…and likable.

And I think that is what made this book so enjoyable – it was even, honest, and realistic. There were no attempts at twists or forcing emotion. It was just real.

Another (possibly more obvious) thing I liked about this book was the road trip being a metaphor for the journey the characters took. The physical for the spiritual, the concrete for the esoteric.

I don’t need to go into details about the backstories, because you can find those elsewhere, and they really didn’t matter to me. The overall goal of the book was crystal clear, and it is what grabbed me and held my attention.

I also liked that the author didn’t wrap it up immediately in a neat bow. Life isn’t like that (most of the time). The way everything was resolved was realistic and gave the story much more credibility.

We all have that person or experience that has etched itself on our souls, that we can’t forget no matter what else happens in life. The author did an excellent job of relaying the importance of those types of connections.

The Girl in the Picture is by far one of my favorite books of the year. I look forward to more from Melissa Wiesner.

Instagram: melissawiesnerauthor
Twitter: @Melissa_Wiesner

Author Bio:
Melissa Wiesner is a night-owl who began writing novels about five years ago when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. In 2019, she won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in the Mainstream Fiction Category for her first novel. Melissa holds two Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Community Agency Counseling. Her day job is in Social Work where she often encounters people knocked down by hard times but who pick themselves up and keep going, just like the characters of her novels. Melissa lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her charming husband and two adorable children.

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Patience (Scott)-Blog Tour-Fiction-Available Now

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. Judging from the publisher description, it isn’t exactly my usual kind of read. But something about the blurb reached me, so I picked it up.

And I am so very glad that I did.

This was an amazing story about the everyday pressures that face a family coupled with the stress of an incapacitated family member. It is a skillfully told tale that had me laughing and crying throughout.

I thought the author did an amazing job of detailing each family member’s situation. The chapters were written from four different points of view in no particular order or pattern. But it was never confusing.

This method gave the reader an entirely holistic picture of the family situation, which was more complete than if it had been only from one person’s perspective. This helped lend authenticity to the whole situation.

Moreover, it gave perspective into the lives of the three family members who had to deal with the situation at hand. And that is the crux of everything in the book.

Patience is by far the most unique character I have read in recent memory. I absolutely loved how she had a voice…even when she didn’t. That makes even more sense if you read the book. Her sense of humor also came through.

What struck me, however, is how easy it is to forget that people who can’t outwardly communicate can still have feelings and opinions. They just can’t get them from their brain to the outside world.

I thought about this a lot while reading because my father was ill for many years with a Parkinson’s-related disease. When he was robbed of his speech, I could still see in his eyes that he had more to say…he just couldn’t say it.

I think about the number of times my mom and I discussed things around him. We were always careful about what we discussed because we knew he could hear us. But after reading this book, I look back and wonder what he was thinking at those times.

Did he have an opinion that he wished he could share? Did he want to say something? Would he have made different choices than those that were made for him?

This is going to haunt me for a while, I think.

In light of this perspective in the book, I found it fitting that some complications stemmed from the simplest of issues. But Patience couldn’t express that. Very interesting, indeed.

I thought that the author was a little heavy on Louise’s martyrdom as it got to be a bit much. But I also understood why she was written that way. I did think that the way the individual stories were wrapped up was effective, as there were unanswered questions right up to the very last pages.

It was obvious that this was a personal story because the emotions and events were told with such care that they couldn’t be anything but real. And that authenticity is what gave the story its heart.

I highly recommend this book. One of my top reads of the year.

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The Lily Garden (Josselsohn)-BoT-Fiction-Available Now

I’ve become a big fan of this author. Her stories have always had a calming effect on me.

I think it’s because the stories are simple and don’t take a lot of brainpower. There’s no criminal to catch, no psychological twist to figure out, no historical lesson to learn – just nice, easy plots that allow me to ride along with the characters’ experiences and enjoy them.

(That’s not to say that the other types of stories aren’t good as well, because I love those books. But everything in its own time and sometimes a break with something different is a good thing.)

In this case, we get the story of Caroline, and how she returns to a small town to help save a garden that was started by her mother many years prior.

I enjoyed the setup of this plotline. I think it was highly relatable in many ways. Caroline isn’t sure about her corporate job and often wonders if she holds the position because of her family connections.

It’s obvious that her heart is in another place, even as she doesn’t realize it herself. It takes a message from an old friend to make her realize where her priorities should be. It’s also a good lesson for her daughter, Lee, who is being groomed to be the heir apparent to the corporation.

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Back in Lake Summers, Caroline finds herself again and also uncovers a family secret. It’s a good story, told in an approachable and interesting way. And, as with other books set in small towns, there is a literal townful of local characters.

I will say that in some ways, I actually liked the secondary characters better than Caroline. It’s not that she was unlikeable, but people like Maxine and Gull seemed to be much more fleshed out. Maybe because they were in their element in town already? I’m not sure.

I also liked Aaron. I definitely would have loved to read his papers, because they sounded interesting. I’m not sure that I bought the relationship between Caroline and Aaron, though. It didn’t seem very full or complete.

And the secret (as mentioned in the blurb) is revealed very late in the book – almost as if it was an afterthought. This was a shame because the build-up was pretty well-done, and I expected it to take a bigger part of the story.

As it was, the last part seemed rushed. After an easy-going story that moved along, sort of like a stream trickling through, the revelation and wrap-up felt like it had hit rapids. It was bumpier and fast-moving – and didn’t feel as natural as the rest of the story.

But in spite of that, I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it for a simple, relaxing beach read.

Instagram: @Barbara_Josselsohn_Author
Twitter: @BarbaraJoss

Author bio:

Barbara Josselsohn is an award-winning writer who loves crafting stories about strong protagonists facing a fork in the road. Her novels include The Bluebell Girls, The Lilac House, The Last Dreamer, and her newest release, The Lily Garden. She has published hundreds of articles about family, home and relationships in national and regional publications, and also teaches novel writing at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.  She lives just north of New York City and enjoys escaping to the beach or the mountains whenever she can. Other than writing, her biggest passion is her family: her husband, her three kids, and her indefatigable shih-poo! 

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Lady Sunshine-Blog Tour (Review)-Women’s Fiction-Available Now

Part historical fiction, part coming-of age, part family mystery, this book had a lot going on. Most of it was successful, making it a great beach read.

Told in dual timelines, the narrative belongs to Jackie in both 1979 (as a teenager) and 1999 (as the inheritor of her uncle’s old estate, The Sandcastle. It was effective to have a singular character be the focal point because the memories and impact of events were consistent.

I guess in a way it could be considered a dual historical timeline, since the contemporary line is set 22 years ago.

Anyway, the Jackie of now has a lot of unfinished business from her time at The Sandcastle. That’s where the family mystery comes in.

I thought the author did a fantastic job of recreating a summer full of idyllic memories. As the flashbacks occurred, it was easy to relate to Jackie. We all have those fond memories of a summer where the littlest things seemed important while nothing was really important at all.

She also captured the 70s vibe so well that I felt like I could see the tie dye and smell the patchouli and neroli oils mixed in with the seaside air. Those parts of the book really took flight for me.

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I thought the parallels between the summer Jackie remembers (when everything changed) and what occurs in 1999 were interesting. It made me wonder if the present was influencing Jackie’s memories of the past.

Turns out I was sort of right.

There weren’t a whole lot of big moments in this book, more like important or pivotal moments that you don’t realize the importance of until you read Jackie’s reactions. I know that sounds convoluted, but I don’t know how else to describe it.

The writing just lulled me into the swing of the story, sort of hazy and blurry, just like memories often are. The parts capturing the 70s music scene were reminiscent of some rockumentaries I have seen, especially the one of the group Chicago. The author did some great research here.

It wasn’t a bad way to spend a few lazy summer afternoons.

Headshots by Sash Photography http://sashphotography.com

About the Author:AMY MASON DOAN is the author of The Summer List and Summer Hours. She earned a BA in English from UC Berkeley and an MA in journalism from Stanford University, and has written for The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, and Forbes, among other publications. She grew up in Danville, California, and now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.

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The House Guests (Richards)-BlogTour-Fiction-Available June 29

Excuse me while I go on a mini-rant.

I really dislike when publishers use taglines or descriptions that do not reflect the true nature of a story. I know they have to do so to draw readers in. However, I really wish they would focus on the book at hand and figure out a way to capture peoples’ attention by highlighting a realistic aspect of the plotline.

This book is a perfect case in point. (Now on to the review). While there is certainly tension between (and within) the two families, I didn’t feel anywhere near the tension that the description hinted at.

I expected a taut suspense novel with clues and hints that would make me wonder what was happening to who and why at any given time.

While there is certainly lots of tension, it is not of the very suspenseful kind. It definitely favors family drama tension. That’s not a bad thing. Once I adjusted my expectation and changed my attitude toward what I was reading, it turned out okay. I think I just did it a little bit late.

Anyway, I liked how the author illustrated that one simple decision can have long-reaching repercussions. I thought it was particularly effective because it was largely due to teen decisions.

And we all know how well teens usually make decisions (i.e., not well or necessarily good).

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I also thought the conflict between Cassie and Amber was good. But it was also kind of weird because Cassie made the decision to invite Amber pretty much solely based on what Cassie’s daughter Savannah did.

That seemed a little bit shortsighted, especially in today’s world. I get that in fiction you have to sometimes suspend disbelief to be able to accept the conceit of a story, but this one almost pushed the limits of plausibility.

I do wish the author had focused more on the moms than the teen points of view. It’s difficult to write teens accurately without making them stereotypical. There might have been more to mine between Cassie and Savannah if it weren’t the usual “teen rebellion/my mom is awful” relationship.

I will say that the culmination was not as earth-shattering as I thought it was going to be. I think this was mainly because I had a different mindset through most of the book – my adjustment came late in the story, so it seemed like a letdown.

With that being said, if you go into this book expecting family drama between teens and moms, with some analytical commentary on being a good Samaritan, I think you’ll probably enjoy the story.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

USA Today bestselling author Emilie Richards has written more than seventy novels. She has appeared on national television and been quoted in Reader’s Digest, right between Oprah and Thomas Jefferson.

Born in Bethesda, Maryland, and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, Richards has been married for more than forty years to her college sweetheart. She splits her time between Florida and Western New York, where she is currently plotting her next novel.

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The Moon over Kilmore Quay (Harrington)-BoT-Fiction-Available Now

Make sure you have time set aside to read this one. It is not a difficult read, but it does take its time in rolling out the story, and you’ll miss important details if you try to skim.

As you can tell from reading the blurb and other reviews, this is mostly Bea’s story. She’s at loose ends due to a recent breakup. But when she receives a letter in the mail, she is reminded of the person she had hoped to be.

The letter was written by her younger self, a school assignment from 17 years prior – a time capsule of sorts.

I do want to interject here and say that this premise is genius, and I think it would be an excellent idea for teachers to implement this type of task. Especially in light of how much the world has changed over the past 18 months.

How fascinating would it be to have a reminder? Although, I suppose some people would prefer to forget. But I digress.

Anyway, as Bea reads and rereads the letter, she starts to realize that she can take back control of her life. And it starts with revisiting her desire to go to Ireland and find her roots.

There are chapters interspersed that follow Lucy in the early 90s. How Lucy and Bea are connected make up the heart of the story. And the trip to get there takes most of the book.

I thought that the author did a decent job of telling the story from both characters’ points of view, but I will admit that it took me a long time to understand what the author was doing.

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The dual settings of Ireland and NYC were interesting. Although, having lived in NYC I found myself picking apart whether or not the author was accurate about locations.

I think this is because in one of the earliest chapters, Lucy and her friends talk about a lottery for visas to NYC, and then discuss “Cheers Bar.” It was apparent that the author was trying to be relevant in some way. As one character points out, it only existed in television.

But the name of the bar was just Cheers.

And it was in Boston.

Now, I understand that three girls in Ireland might not have made that distinction and that all American big cities are the same. But unless I missed it, that was never addressed. And it made me look more carefully at the other places mentioned.

The “twist” was also a bit questionable. It didn’t bother me at all, but other readers might find it odd or even distasteful. I think that will totally be a matter of personal choice.

Oh, and I liked the reference to Innisfree. It’s the location of one of my favorite movies!

There were quite a few good things about the book. But it wandered a bit much, and I found myself wishing the author would just get on with it. If you’re looking for a novel to kill some time with, that has a bit of heart and a message of taking control of your own life, this is it.

Twitter: @HappyMrsH
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About Carmel:

Carmel Harrington is from Co. Wexford, where she lives with her husband Roger, children Amelia and Nate and their beloved rescue dog, George Bailey. An international bestseller and regular panellist on Irish radio and TV, her warm and emotional storytelling has captured the hearts of readers worldwide, translated into nine languages. Carmel’s trademark is to write warm, uplifting stories with humour, heart and hope. She loves to write about family, friendships, love and life within complex, twisting plots. Carmel’s novels have been shortlisted for an Irish Book Award in 2016 & 2017 and her debut won Kindle Book of the Year and Romantic eBook of the Year in 2013.

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The Rooftop Party (Meister)-Blog Tour-Fiction-Available May 25

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but what I got was a pleasant read with likable characters and a mystery that wove itself through the plot.

That makes it sound more serious than it was. This book was actually a lot of fun.

I expected to dislike Dana. She’s a New York City actress and she sells merchandise on a shopping channel, the first job she has apparently been able to hold down in quite a long time.

But instead of hating her, I found myself wanting to know her. I could see her being fun to be around. Could have had to do with her quips and reactions to what others said to her.

That reminded me of…well, me.

Frankly, she reminded me a lot of me. I moved to NYC, auditioned a couple of place, and ended up bartending (no home shopping channels for me). I even dated an NYC officer.

Spoiler: I married mine 😊

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Anyway, back to Dana. While I thought her life was entertaining (and would have been a great story on its own), the mystery that popped up was woven seamlessly into the narrative.

Honestly, there’s not a lot to unpack here, because it was a light, fun story.

Anyone who has ever watched even five minutes of a home shopping channel will appreciate Dana’s talents onscreen. Even I was impressed with her capabilities. Those were very entertaining scenes.

I will say that there were more than a few times that I found “Friends” references. Not only were there over mentions (Ross and Rachel) but there were also some clever points that only a die-hard fan might recognize.

Dana’s play, her relationship with Ari, even a boot heel…I counted at least ten events/plot points where I could reference Friends.

Now, that might just be because Friends was that universal. Regardless, it provided additional enjoyment to me.

This is a perfect beach read and one of my favorites of the year.

Twitter: @EllenMeister  
Facebook: @EllenMeister  
Instagram: @EllenMeister

Author Bio: Ellen Meister is the author of  several novels including LOVE SOLD SEPARATELY,  DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE; FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER; THE OTHER LIFE and others. Ellen is also an editor, book coach, ghostwriter, and frequent contributor to Long Island Woman Magazine. She teaches creative writing at Long Island University Hutton House Lectures and previously at Hofstra University. Her latest novel is THE ROOFTOP PARTY. For more info visit ellenmeister.com.

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Her Family Secret (Wiesner)-Books On Tour-Women’s Fiction-Available Now

Why is it that we always need a major event (often a tragedy) to open our eyes to what is right in front of us?

This is exactly what happens to June. Even as it seems as if her life is falling apart, there are other events in motion that (ultimately) help her figure out who she is and what she wants out of life.

That’s a simplistic explanation of the plot, but there is a lot more going on. The author weaves a compelling story, addressing several heavy topics along the way. I felt that some were more successfully included in the story than others, but it all still worked.

As I often say, you can read spoilers and plot details in other reviews. I’m here to give other observations.

One of the first things that struck me was “distance.” June’s husband was distant from her, as was her father (or was he really), her sisters were distant, June had to travel a distance to get answers…it was a major theme.

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The reason this hit me is that when I was still in school, my mom was a teacher and my dad worked for an airline. Every year when the school year was over, my mom and I would hop on a plane and fly standby to a fun destination.

(Living in California, that destination was often Hawaii. But I digress).

The point of this is my mom always said that creating distance was one of the best ways to change your frame of mind. For us back then, it was letting go of school and embracing the summer break.

For June, traveling to California and discovering the truth about her father, it was recognizing the path her life was on, how it didn’t really fit her, and that she had the power to change it. Of course, the distance from her home to California helped as well.

I understand why Caleb was a major catalyst for all of that. I am unsure how I feel about the whole “tortured artist” persona. It didn’t bother me, but it also sometimes distracted me.

While I found distance to be a compelling thread, I think the ultimate message is that in order to be true to oneself, hard choices have to be made. But really, shouldn’t that be the easiest choice of all?

Twitter: @Melissa_Wiesner

Author Bio:
Melissa Wiesner is a night-owl who began writing novels about five years ago when her early-to-bed family retired for the evening. In 2019, she won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® Award in the Mainstream Fiction Category for her first novel. Melissa holds two Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Community Agency Counseling. Her day job is in Social Work where she often encounters people knocked down by hard times but who pick themselves up and keep going, just like the characters of her novels. Melissa lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her charming husband and two adorable children.

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The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club (Hogan)-Blog Tour-Fiction-Available Now

There is something raw and primal about allowing ourselves to be one with nature. To experience it without barriers or reservations. It can be cleansing and exhilarating.

That’s what Liz, Jo, and Lucy discover in this insightful novel about letting go of the old and facing the (sometimes daunting) new.

Each of the women have something that has caused their lives to be in turmoil (you can check out blurbs to find out what those are) and one by one, they discover that throwing themselves into the ocean helps them cope with their troubles.

It sounds a bit Greek tragedy, actually, but it makes perfect sense in the context of the book.

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This was a simple, pleasant, read that didn’t require a lot of thought process to understand, so there’s not a lot to unpack in the plot itself. It’s very straightforward.

One of the messages that I got from the book was that problems in life don’t have to be faced alone. Sometimes having an outlet, whether it’s a person or event or ritual, can help keep a positive perspective.

I think Liz benefitted from this the most. While Lucy and Jo certainly had impactful issues, there weren’t the lies that went along with Liz’s problem. That made it extra hard for her to cope. It was fortunate that Jo and Lucy were around to support.

The setting itself was charming – who doesn’t love a seaside Irish village? Because of Lucy and Liz’s situations, I was reminded of Doc Martin (and yes, I know that the show takes place in England, but there were enough similarities that it was often brought to mind).

If I had to say anything negative about the book, it would be that it was fairly predictable. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Sometimes being able to just go along for the ride without any twists and surprises is just what is needed. Allow yourself to take the journey with Liz, Jo, and Lucy. If you don’t overthink it, you will find this novel to be a relaxing beach read.

About the author

Faith Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of five contemporaryfiction novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley HotReads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women’s fiction which isunashamedly uplifting, feel good and inspiring.

She is currently working on her next novel. She lives in the west of Ireland with herhusband, four children and a very busy Labrador named Penny. She’s a writer, reader,enthusiastic dog walker and reluctant jogger-except of course when it is raining!

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The Clover Girls (Shipman)-Blog Tour-Fiction-Available Now

This book had me hooked from the very first dateline. Summer 1985 was a pivotal time in my life, so I knew that at the very least there would be some relatable items in the story.

But it ended up being much more than relatable. This book hit me on so many different levels that I often had to stop reading to reflect, which often brought back my own memories.

In fact, I can’t remember the last time a book spoke to me the way this one did.

You can read blurbs and other reviews that recount the premise of the story. In a nutshell, the Clover Girls are four friends who met at summer camp in 1985, but who have lost touch with other over the years.

They are brought back together under sad circumstances. Truths come out, lies are revealed, and a whole lot of hurt is addressed.

That simplifies it almost too much, because a LOT more happens than that.

Each of the women, Veronica, Rachel, and Liz, took very different paths from each other, but I found something that I could identify in each one. I could actually write an essay on what each character meant to me and how I felt like I knew them intimately.

Big kudos to the author for creating characters who were so lifelike.

Each woman’s journey of self-discovery was interesting on its own, but even more touching when woven with the other women’s stories. Together, they made a powerful statement about how important friendship is, especially if the parties are true to themselves and each other.

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In addition, the author offers some searing commentary on several contemporary topics. Some were more necessary and useful than others. For example, I thought some of the feminist views sounded stilted and like soundbites. They weren’t natural.

On the other hand, the realization that society doesn’t treasure the past anymore and only sees it as negative was impactful. As it continues to be ignored or misinterpreted, important continuity and respect for people and places will continue to deteriorate.

The author also offers a lot of insight on the transition from child to adult – how we lose friendships and ourselves as we age – including some pretty raw and powerful observations on human nature in general.

Yes, that seems like a lot to unpack, but it’s all done in a thoughtful and entertaining manner.

But what really had me loving this book was the accuracy of the 80s – from fashion to pop culture references (we all wanted someone to be our Jake) the author nailed it. It was all so accurate either they lived it and went by memory or picked the brain of somebody who did.

Every time there was a mention of friendship pins or Walkmans, or the description of clothes (like leotards and legwarmers), my brain immediately accessed my own memories of those things.

It was a unique way to feel like I was a part of the book, which in turn made me more empathetic to the characters.

Couldn’t be that they were all pushing 50 as well, could it? Naaaahhhhhh….

Anyway, this is an excellent book about lost friendships and what it takes to find them (and ourselves) again.

I highly recommend it, and it is at the top of my list for the year.

P.S. I also really enjoyed The Heirloom Garden from this author. Check that one out as well.

TWITTER: @viola_shipman
FB: @authorviolashipman
Insta: @viola_shipman

BIO: Viola Shipman is the pen name for Wade Rouse, a popular, award-winning memoirist. Rouse chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his writing. Rouse is the author of The Summer Cottage, as well as The Charm Bracelet and The Hope Chest which have been translated into more than a dozen languages and become international bestsellers. He lives in Saugatuck, Michigan and Palm Springs, California, and has written for People, Coastal Living, Good Housekeeping, and Taste of Home, along with other publications, and is a contributor to All Things Considered.

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