Shelley Reads and Writes

Tag: book recommendations

  • A Series By Kate Hewitt — A Must-Read

    Book Cover off of Amazon

    In 1939, Alice falls in love and marries a kind-hearted vicar named David. She leaves everything behind to move into a draughty vicarage in the beautiful, remote village of Goswell, Cumbria. However, she is determined to make a good life for her new husband and herself.

    But war changes things, like it typically does. David decides to leave for war, to do his part. Alice is devastated and unsure of her new role as the vicar’s wife. But everything changes when evacuees are brought into the village looking for homes. Alice finds herself bringing home a young girl named Vera, and will do whatever she can to protect this girl.

    In the present day, Jane and her family move into a vicarage in the middle of nowhere, in a small community called Goswell. Used to New York City, Jane is overwhelmed by the change.

    That all changes when Jane finds a note written by Alice. She is determined to find out everything she can about Alice and what her life was like when she lived in the same house. She finds out that, though Alice didn’t change the world, she led a good life in a small community, raising a daughter and building a life.

    I am not really a historical fiction reader, but this collection really called to me. I like reading about the two different times, and am always waiting to find the connection between the two women! I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good mystery!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Who Knew the Past Could Help Someone Heal?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    In 1766, Abigail is happily married to James, a tobacco trader turned sea captain. They are happy in Whitehaven, though they do struggle early in their marriage.

    Then, James decides to captain his own ship all the way to Africa and then to America. This journey will take a year and both are terrified of being apart for that long, but their future depends on it.

    As James leaves Abigail, he gets her a present, a little black child to use as another servant. However, the two bond in ways that nobody expected, not even Abigail.

    Now, Rachel is sent to Whitehaven to investigate a boat wreck that happened in the 1700s. She thinks that she may have found a slave boat that may have belonged to James, yet it didn’t sink where it was thought to. The mystery is one that she is just going to have to solve.

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time! 

  • What Happens When Two Ranchers Fall in Like?

    Nora Roberts is a favorite of mine, though I say that about a lot of authors! However, whenever I see one of her books for sale, I always have to pick it up (or download it)!

    In Nora Roberts’ Boundary Lines, we meet two ranchers, that share a property line. However, they also have a feud that goes back many, many years.

    Jillian Baron is excited to have inherited her grandfather’s ranch, though she knows it is going to take a lot of hard work and grit, especially since she is female.

    Aaron Murdock is back to take over his ranch as his father’s health declines. He is ready to bring the ranch up to date and is willing to do whatever it takes.

    When the two meet, their long-running feud pushes them apart, even as their attraction grows. They share a kiss, which blows both of their minds as they struggle with their dislike and attraction to each other.

    You won’t want to put this book down, as you try to figure out if they are going to get together and bring their ranches together or push each other apart even farther!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time! 

  • Can You Really Let Go of Your Past?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    In Before and Again by Barbara Delinsky, Mackenzie Cooper’s eyes were off the road for a few seconds, and it changed her life forever, as well as many others. The accident ended more than two lives that day. After losing her marriage, family, and friends, she decides to get away.

    She finds herself in Vermont, with the name Maggie Reid. She has a small home and has adopted a dog and a few cats to keep her company. She has a good job at the Inn as a makeup artist and has quite a few friends in the community.

    That being said, she is still under probation, so she has to be careful as she gets closer and closer to the date when she doesn’t have to deal with her probation officer anymore.

    However, crime happens no matter where you live, and Maggie’s sleepy little town is thrust into the national spotlight when a local teenager hacks into the school database as well as several powerful men’s Twitter accounts. She finds her face on national television as she stands beside a friend with her own secrets!

    As Grace’s secrets come out, Maggie’s may also. The life that she worked so hard to protect may come crumbling down as Maggie struggles to deal with the loss of her daughter, five years later.

    I could not put this book down, especially as things started to come out about Maggie’s past. When her ex-husband and brother show up, you can imagine that Maggie isn’t going to be pleased.

    A Delinsky classic! Always good storytelling that is worth reading!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Elizabeth Berg Has A Way of Writing About Friendship

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Your best friends will be by your side, no matter what. When Ruth becomes ill (and then terminal), her friends rally around her, determined to be there for her until the end.

    Ann, her closest friend, drops everything to ensure that Ruth is well taken care of. She spends her days and nights with her, without worrying about anything else. She wants to make sure that Ruth has everything that she needs (and then some) to enjoy her last days.

    As Ruth’s other friends rally, the women do what they always do, go out to eat, watch movies, and gossip. However, it is hard to think that it might be the last time that they do these things.

    I love a good Elizabeth Berg novel. She is a great storyteller, and really understands what it means to have a good group of friends, ones that you can tell anything to and they will still love you!

    If you are looking for a good read about friendship (especially between women), you need to pick up Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg.

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Can You Find a Friend When You Need One Most?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    The worst day of Gemma’s life changes her life forever. She has been raising her daughter on her own while her boyfriend looks for new opportunities in Australia. However, she receives an email from his brother, letting her know that Jack has moved on. In fact, he is raising another child with someone else.

    When Gemma gets this news while she is at work, she falls apart in the women’s restroom. There, she meets Crystal, a woman who takes her out to lunch to get away from all the prying eyes!

    Crystal has been where Gemma was. She was left suddenly and had to figure out how to move on. So, when she sees Gemma, she is ready to help!

    When she meets Gemma’s daughter, she falls in love with her. Poppy feels the same way about Crystal. Crystal starts helping Gemma care for Poppy as she tries to figure out what her future is going to look like.

    But then, jealousy happens. Poppy and Crystal start spending so much time with each other, that Gemma starts to become uneasy about the whole situation.

    I just loved Not Your Child by Sheila Norton, and I had to download quite a few more of her books, and I can’t wait to read them!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • Can You Really Trust Your In-Laws? (and Your Husband)?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Chelsea was having a rough go of it when she met the man that she would eventually call her husband. He helped her get better mentally. He was also there for her when her father was sick and eventually died. He even supported her love of painting, letting her dream of going to art school while he took care of her and provided for her.

    Then, it was time for her to meet her in-laws. They lived off-the-grid in a remote location. You couldn’t even get there by car. You had to hike for four hours to get to their cabin.

    They went for a weekend, but then it didn’t look like it was going to be very easy to leave. Chelsea didn’t feel any warmth from his mom, while she enjoyed getting to know his father. However, the family tension quickly became unbearable, and all Chelsea wanted to do was to get back home.

    As Chelsea learns more about her new family, she uncovers some truths which really change everything!

    Just like the other books that I read by Caine, this one had me trying to figure out what was going to happen and then completely go in another direction! If you enjoyed any of his books, you should give this one a try!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.

  • What Happens When A Woman Disappears, and Many People Want Her Gone?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    In The Perfect Affair by Angela Henry, we meet Paige Nichols. She is thrilled for her husband, Aaron, when he gets a promotion at work, even though she is really struggling with her own career path. However, when she meets her husband’s glamorous new colleague at a faculty mixer (which he didn’t tell her about), she realizes right away that he has been having an affair. She sees how he looks at her, the same way that he used to look at her.

    When Paige confronts him, he says that he will break it off. She will do anything to keep her family together.

    But when the breakup between Cara and her husband threatens to end his career, she isn’t sure what to think. Could her husband have done what Cara said he did? Did he really break it off when she asked? Will she ever be able to trust him again?

    Then, Cara Morton disappears without a trace, and Paige’s husband is the number one suspect. Until Cara’s past comes out, and we learn that everyone is hiding something, and many people would be happy if she weren’t around.

    So, where is Cara, and who did it? You will be utterly shocked when you find out!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time!  

  • When Tragedy Strikes, Can You Really Move On?

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Marcus couldn’t wait to welcome his new baby with his new wife in The Way We Are by Meg Gray. As the couple (and their son Braydon) prepare for the new arrival, tragedy strikes, and Marcus is forced to plan a funeral instead.

    . As the couple (and their son Braydon) prepare for the new arrival, tragedy strikes, and Marcus is forced to plan a funeral instead.

    Meanwhile, Luke finally has his dream girl, and he is carrying around an engagement ring to prove it! However, when his brother’s life unravels, he struggles with his own feelings and doesn’t always act the right way.

    As Marcus struggles to find the light at the end of the tunnel, Luke’s plan backfires, and he is worried that he will spend the rest of his life alone.

    The two brothers have to lean on each other in order to get through this terrible ordeal.

    Though loss can be hard to read about, this series really shows us how family and friends will rise to the occasion to help others out when they need it!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time!  

  • Jane Green Does It Again: Short and Sweet (and Just Great)!

    Book Cover off of Amazon Website

    Jane Green is a favorite of mine, so any time I see one of her books on sale, I just have to download it.

    Her short story, When We Were Friends, is meant to please. We meet Lucy, who is a divorced single mom trying to figure out where she fits in. She meets a bunch of other single divorcees out for a night out, and finds herself feeling way left out. She isn’t looking for another husband (or even someone to occupy her time). She is looking for a friend.

    When she meets Elle in the bathroom, the two find a friendship that Lucy never realized she needed. They talked and texted regularly, spending plenty of time with each other, until one party changed everything.

    Lucy invites Elle to a party with her friends (pre-divorce) and can’t believe what Elle has to say about them and their lifestyle. And it changes their friendship forever!

    I finished this short story in one sitting (without interruptions) and was ready for more. I think my next story will be a Jane Green read, and I can’t wait!

    ***

    If you are interested in this book, you can grab it from Amazon right here!

    ***

    Please note, this is an affiliate link, where I will receive compensation if you buy the product, without any extra cost to you.

    ***

    Stay tuned for my next book review.

    Til next time.